James John Hogan
James John Hogan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania.Biography
Hogan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and moved with his family to Camden, New Jersey, at a young age. After graduating from Camden Catholic High School, he studied at St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland; St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore; and Pontifical North American College in Rome. While in Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood on December 8, 1937.
On November 27, 1959, Hogan was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton and Titular Bishop of Philomelium by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration on February 25, 1960 from Bishop George W. Ahr, with Bishops James A. McNulty and James Griffiths serving as co-consecrators.
He was named Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown on May 23, 1966, and installed on the following July 6.
In 1994, James J. Hogan was found liable for the actions of a Catholic pedophile priest, Father Francis Luddy. The jury found that the diocese and Bishop Hogan "knew that had a propensity for pedophilic behavior." Evidence and testimony are amply demonstrated. The diocese and Hogan were "negligent in retaining him and his activities." The diocese paid $1.2 million in damages initially, and an additional $1 million award is pending.
Hogan died at Garvey Manor Nursing Home in Hollidaysburg, aged 93.
On March 1, 2016, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced that as Bishop, Hogan was at the forefront of a major cover-up scandal involving the sexual assault of hundreds of children by Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown priests.
