Salvatore V. Zangari

Ordained: 1944
Diocese: Diocese of Harrisburg

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

Multiple allegations of unwanted sexual misconduct between Father Salvatore Zangari and adult women were reported to the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1980 and in 1986.  In 1986, the Diocese sent Zangari to St. Luke Institute for evaluation.  Monsignor Hugh Overbaugh wrote a memorandum, on June 12, 1986, to Bishop William Keeler that reported the results of Zangari’s evaluation.  The Institute relayed that Zangari reported he was “literally married” for eight or nine years and had fathered a child.

A Diocesan  report provided that in 2002 Diocese of Harrisburg Chancellor Carol Houghton and Father Mike McFadden met Zangari to inquire about the revelations revealed in 1986 because it had appeared they had never been followed up on. Zangari denied being married or ever saying he was married. However, he admitted to fathering a child with a former student. At one time, she was a high school student at St. Mary (Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary). Zangari stated they reacquainted when she was maybe 18 years old.  He gave consent for Bishop Nicholas Dattilo to receive a full copy of the 1986 evaluation from St. Luke’s.

On December 13, 2002, after reviewing the evaluation report by St. Luke’s, Bishop Dattilo issued a decree and penal precept stating, “Such admissions on the part of Father Zangari constitute full proof of his sexual misconduct with minors.” Even though he was retired, his faculties to perform priestly ministry were removed.

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.