Skip to content
Call Today: 888-283-9922
Horowitz Law Logo
  • About
    • Adam Horowitz
    • Jessica Arbour
    • Elana Goodman
    • Robin Kissin
    • DeeDee Scheller
    • Eric Cantor
    • Alexandra Slater
    • Attorney Referrals
    • Testimonials
  • Who We Sue For Sexual Assault
    • Churches & Other Religious Organizations
    • Massage Businesses
    • Doctors, Healthcare, & Hospitals
    • Schools & Universities
    • Boy Scouts of America
    • Cruise Ships & Yachts
    • Summer Camp
    • Cheer & Other Youth Sports
    • Sexual Assault By Uber & Lyft Drivers
  • Sexual Abuse Lawyers
    • Child Sexual Abuse
  • FAQ
  • Media Coverage
    • Reported Cases
  • Legal Blog
  • Search
Contact Us

Fr. Robert F. Bower – Diocese of Erie

Home  >  Sexual Abuse Law Blog  >  Fr. Robert F. Bower – Diocese of Erie

March 26, 2024 | By Horowitz Law
Fr. Robert F. Bower – Diocese of Erie

Father Robert F. Bower

Diocese of Erie

Ordained: 1959

Placed on Leave: 1999

Resigned: 2002

Died: 2020

Assignment History

  • 1959-1964: Gannon College and Congregation of the Divine Spirit (Erie, PA)
  • 1964-1992: Our Lady of the Lake and Edinboro State College (Edinboro, PA)
  • 1992-1999: St. Anthony's (Cambridge Springs, PA)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Robert F. Bower:

Fr. Robert F. Bower was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Erie in 1959 and worked in multiple parishes during his 40-year career. According to Bishop Accountability, in 1981, Bower was found to have collected child pornography photographs. Seventh-grade children found these images in Bower's office while they served as janitors at the Edinboro University Newman Center. One of these children, now an adult, testified to the images before the PA Grand Jury.

The witness testified that he and his friends found several photographs and pamphlets in Bower's office depicting children having sex with adults. He testified that he told his mother about it. The boy's mother, who was also the secretary at the Newman Center in Edinboro, said she was fired two days later after reporting that Bower was receiving gay pornography in the mail.

Father Bower's Arrest

In March 1999, Bowers was arrested on charges of possession of child pornography. Police were alerted by a computer repair shop employee who discovered them while working on Bower's computer. The pornography was allegedly downloaded between June 1996 and December 1998 and included images of a man sodomizing a five-year-old boy. The diocese placed Bower on leave, sent to counseling, and then allowed limited ministry during the investigation. Bishop Trautman said he believed Bower's explanation that he had received the images accidentally; state police said that Bower admitted to obtaining them. The charges were dropped in 2001 on a technicality. Bower resumed full ministry at the Edinboro Newman Center and as a supply priest for the diocese.

In April 2002, after the Erie Times-News published a report about his 1999 arrest, Bower resigned. The article states that in 1982, the former secretary did report Bower in 1981 and was fired two days later without reason. After 17 years of harboring her pain, the former secretary and two of her coworkers filed a defamation lawsuit against the diocese, Bishops Trautman and Murphy, in May 2003. The case was dismissed the same year.

Bower's name was included on the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report and the diocese's public disclosure list of those who were credibly accused of actions that disqualify and prohibit them from working or volunteering with children or youth in any Diocese of Erie parish, school, agency, institution or any other Catholic entity located within the Diocese of Erie. It noted that Bower was 'forbidden to function as a priest.'

The Grand Jury found the testimony of the witnesses to be credible. It was Bower's own testimony, however, that most disturbed the Grand Jury. When the attorney for the Commonwealth asked Bower if he had ever had sexual contact with a child under the age of eighteen. Bower answered, "What am I supposed to say?" When the prosecutor persisted, Bower added, "I'll go to jail."

Father Bower died in 2020.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Erie. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Pennsylvania, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Erie may have legal options, but filing deadlines will apply, so please do not delay in reaching out to us.

Contact us at 888-283-9922  to discuss your options today.

Safeguard Your Future with Professional Legal Support

"*" indicates required fields

First Name*
Last Name*
How Would You Like To Be Contacted?
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
Disclaimer*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related Blogs

  • Where Are the Most Common Places Where Childhood Sexual Abuse Occurs?
  • Do You Believe Your Child Has Been a Victim of Sex Abuse?
  • How abuse by school administrators impacts students’ mental health
  • Miami P.E. Teacher Bryant Caniz-Segovia Arrested for Sexual Assault with 14-year-old Student
  • Beyond Done and Dusted: The Maryland AG’s Renewed Probe into Clergy Sex Crimes
  • Beverly Hills OB/GYN Barry J. Brock Faces Lawsuits By Over 160 Women Patients For Sexual Misconduct
  • Lessons to be Learned from UK & French Assault Cases
  • How can abuse survivors cope during legal proceedings?
  • Plantation Private School Teacher Candace Brown Arrested for Sexual Misconduct with Teen
  • 21 Women Arrested in Polk County During an Undercover Sting at Various Massage Parlors

Skilled Advocacy

Cycles Of Abuse And Fear Stop Here

The physical and emotional pain that stems from sexual abuse and assault can be devastating and have lasting, catastrophic effects on one’s life. If you or someone you love has been sexually assaulted or molested, contact a lawyer for sexual assault and child molestation victims today at 954-641-2100.

Meet Our Team

Contact Horowitz Law

While this website provides general information, it does not constitute legal advice. The best way to get guidance on your specific legal issue is to contact a lawyer. To schedule a meeting with an attorney, please call the firm or complete the intake form.

 

Cycles Of Abuse And Fear Stop Here

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
How Would You Like To Be Contacted?
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
Disclaimer*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Fort Lauderdale, FL
110 E Broward Blvd, Suite 1530
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
954-641-2100
Horowitz Law Logo
  • About
  • Blog
  • Team
© 2025 Horowitz Law   Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Sitemap