József Hirling was a priest in the Diocese of Vác. He completed his studies in Aszód and Eger, and was ordained a priest in June 1892. His first posts were in Taksony, Szegvár, Újpest, Kispest, Kecskemét, Szendehely, and Tolna; in several places he served as an assistant pastor, catechist, and, for a short time, as a parish priest. During his time in Újpest, he faced moral allegations, but the charges were never substantiated.

Around 1903, he moved to the United States. He served in Throop and then in Cleveland, where in 1904 he played a role in organizing the Hungarian Catholic community on the West Side. He is regarded as the founding pastor of the St. Imre Hungarian Roman Catholic Parish in Cleveland. He later served in South River and then again in Throop. His life ended under tragic circumstances: in April 1909, in New York, near Grand Central Terminal, he fell into an elevator shaft at the Hotel Belmont and died of his injuries the following day.