Fr. John Hammer
Archdiocese of Baltimore/Youngstown/Saginaw
Ordained: 1979
Removed: 2002
Laicized: 2006
Assignment History:
- 1979-1983: St. Louis (Louisville, OH)
- 1983: University of Notre Dame
- 1985: St. Columba Cathedral (Youngstown, OH)
- 1985: St. Aloysius (East Liverpool, OH)
- 1985-1986: Leave of Absence
- 1986-1989: St. Agnes Hospital (Baltimore, MD)
- 1990-1991: St. Stephen (Saginaw, MI)
- 1991-1995: Blessed Sacrament (Midland, MI)
- 1995-1999: Mount St. Joseph, St. Louis, and St. Patrick (Irishtown, MI)
- 1999-2002: Mount St. Joseph, St. Louis, and St. Mary (Alma, MI)
- 2002: Suspended from ministry
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father John Hammer
Fr. John Hammer “Fr. Jack” was a Catholic priest and worked at various parishes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Saginaw, and in the Diocese of Youngstown. In 2002, Fr. Hammer was listed on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors list. In April 2023, Maryland’s Attorney General released a report alleging 156 Catholic clergy members sexually abused at least 600 children over six decades. The report lists the names of the abusers, including Father Hammer.
According to the Attorney General’s report, in 1985, Fr. Hammer was dismissed from the Diocese of Youngstown in Ohio for child sex abuse and was sent to St. Luke Institute for an evaluation. After undergoing treatment Fr. Hammer served as a Chaplain at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore from 1986 to 1989. The Archdiocese of Baltimore received no information of misconduct by Hammer while in Ohio, but in 1989, it decided that he should not even engage in ministry because of his history. The Archdiocese of Baltimore informed the Diocese of Youngstown that Hammer’s faculties to perform ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore were being removed in 1989.
In 2002, the Archdiocese of Baltimore learned that Hammer had been serving as a priest in the Diocese of Saginaw since 1990 in Michigan, where he continued to abuse at least one more child at St. Louis in the 1990s. He resigned in April 2002 because of the allegation of sexual abuse. A lawsuit was filed in 2002 by three former altar boys from Youngstown against the Dioceses of Youngstown and Saginaw, alleging the church leaders knew about Hammer’s wrongdoing as early as 1978.
Fr. Hammer was removed in 2002 after admitting to abuse of an altar boy from 1980-1983 and laicized in 2006.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Maryland, contact our office today. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse nationwide. We can help. Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.