Philip Hower

Ordained:
Diocese: Diocese of Harrisburg

From Report I of the 40th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:

Philip Hower was a seminarian sponsored by the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1985.  The Diocese discontinued the sponsorship of Hower. In a Diocesan letter, the Diocese stated he was “brusque and officious in his dealings with others,” and he asked sexual inquiries of people and was too negative of a person.

Hower’s sister wrote to the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1988 and reported that Hower molested her son while her son was between ages five and seven. She alleged Hower performed oral sex on her son.  The alleged victim never came forward.

At the time of the 1988 report, Hower was a seminarian for the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona.  He was never ordained.  The Diocese informed the Diocese of Tucson of the allegations made by Mr. Hower’s sister.

Additional information regarding the widespread sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Dioceses of Pennsylvania and the systemic cover up by senior church officials is compiled in the Pennsylvania Diocese Victim’s Report published by the Pennsylvania Attorney General following a two-year grand jury investigation.  A complete copy of the Report is available on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website.