Rev. John A. Howlett, s.a.c.-Assignment

Rev. John A. Howlett, s.a.c.

Ordained: 1947

Several women accused him of abusing them when they were children. Diocese first learned of allegations in 1980s. Claims arose again in 1993. Diocese gave money to at least one victim until statute of limitations expired. Authority to function as a priest removed, but he remains a clergyman. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. Howlett cannot have contact with the public without being accompanied by another member of the Pallottine society. Personnel files released by Diocese 11.28.06.

Start	Stop	Assignment	Town/Accusations	State	Position	Notes
1947	1960	?
1960 Bishop of Amarillo was John Louis Morkovsky (1958-1963), followed by Lawrence Michael De Falco (1963-1979)	1965	St. Joseph's	Lubbock	TX	3/3 Pastor was Rev. Kevin Clarke, s.a.c. Second priest 1960-1961 was Rev. Aidan Donlon, s.a.c. In that spot 1961- 1965 was Rev. George Buckley, s.a.c.
1960	1962	St. Patrick's	Lubbock	TX		St. Patrick's was a mission of St. Joseph's during these years.
1960	1965	St. Michael's	Ralls	TX		St. Michael's was a mission of St. Joseph's in Lubbock.
1962	1965		Lorenzo	TX		Lorenzo was a station of St. Joseph's in Lubbock
1962	1965		Crosbyton	TX		Crosbyton was a station of St. Joseph's in Lubbock.
1965	1966	St. Patrick's	Lubbock	TX	2/2 Howlett worked under Rev. James J. Daly, s.a.c.
1965	1966	St. Vincent Pallotti	Lubbock	TX		St. Vincent's was a mission of St. Patrick's.
1965	1966		Idalou	TX		Idalou was a station of St. Patrick's.
1966	1971?	St. Francis of Assisi	Abilene	TX	2/2, 2/3, 1/2 Howlett worked under Very Rev. Thomas Leahy, s.a.c., until he was moved to the first spot 1969-1970. Last priest listed 1968-1970 was Rev. Jeremiah Keogh.	The 1971 Directory indexes Howlett at this parish, but he is not listed there in the diocesan pages. Rev. Bernard Gully is the only priest listed at St. Francis of Assisi in the 1971 Directory.
1966	1970	Our Mother of Mercy	Merkel	TX		This was a mission of St. Francis of Assisi in Abilene.
1971?	1977	St. Anthony's	Brownfield	TX	2/2 Howlett worked under Rev. Aidan Maguire, s.a.c.
1971?	1975	St. Paul's	Seagraves	TX		St. Paul's was a mission of St. Anthony's in Brownfield.
1975	1977	Sacred Heart	Plains	TX		Sacred Heart was a mission of St. Anthony's in Brownfield.
1975	1977	Catechetical Center	Meadow	TX		This was a mission of St. Anthony's in Brownfield.
1977 Ft. Worth bishop was John Joseph Cassata (1969-1980) followed by Joseph Patrick Delaney (1981-2005)	1984	St. Mary's	Graham • A woman told Bishop Delaney in the mid 1980s that Howlett had been molesting her two young daughters, possibly "many times" since 1981. (Star-Telegram [Fort Worth TX] November 29, 2006)	TX	1/1
1984	1985	St. Brendan	Stephenville	TX	2/2 Howlett worked under Rev. Philip McNamara, s.a.c.
1985 Detroit archbishop was Edmund Casimir Szoka (1981-1990), followed by Adam Joseph Maida (1990-2009)	1993?	Pallottine Fathers	Wyandotte	MI	Rector of this center for Pallottines was Rev. William Costigan, s.a.c. 1985-1987, and it was Rev. Stephen Keogh, s.a.c. 1987-1992. Also there during these years were Revs. Thomas J. Moloney, s.a.c., Michael Gormley, s.a.c., and Bro. Faustino Perez, s.a.c. Rev. Richard Gorecki, s.a.c. was there 1987-1990.	The 1991 and 1992 Directories index Howlett as having been ordained in 1947. Howlett is indexed but not listed at the Pallottine Fathers in MI in the 1993 Directory. The Ft. Worth diocese and Pallottine order agreed in 1993 to pay for counseling and living expenses for the two sisters who had been sexually abuse as little girls by Howlett in Texas in the 1980s. Rev. Philip McNamara, s.a.c. indicated to Rev. Robert Wilson, former Ft. Worth chancellor, that once the statutes of limitations ran out in 1994, they would no longer be at risk for being sued by the family. He expressed relief in Dec. 1994 that "we seem to have weathered liability". (Star-Telegram [Fort Worth TX] November 29, 2006)
1993	2009		At least three more women have reported having been sexually abused by Howlett as children: • In May 1999 a woman told Bishop Delaney, Rev. Robert Wilson, and McNamara that Howlett molested her while she was preparing for First Communion. • In June 2001 another woman reported to the church officials that Howlett molested her when she was five to nine years old. • In March 2004 yet another woman told church officials that Howlett sexually abused her from ages nine through fourteen. (Star-Telegram [Fort Worth TX] November 29, 2006)			Per 2005 news reports, Howlett was living in Dublin Ireland and remains a priest, but is not allowed to function as on. Also, he is permitted to have contact with the public only if accompanied by another Pallottine. (Star Telegram [Fort Worth TX] June 26, 2005)

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: Kenedy & Sons, 1961-1993).

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy & Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.