John Dougherty

John Martin Dougherty (April 29, 1932 – April 16, 2022) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Dougherty served as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Scranton in Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2009.

Early life John Dougherty was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Edward and Irene (née Kern) Dougherty. After graduating from St. Paul High School in 1949, he entered St. Charles College in Catonsville, Maryland.

In 1951, Dougherty became a seminarian at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953. In 1956, he was awarded a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Notre Dame, then in 1957 a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's. After his ordination, Dougherty served as assistant pastor at St. Ann Parish in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania. In 1962, Dougherty left St. Ann to become professor of ascetical theology at St. Pius X Seminary in Dalton, Pennsylvania. He also became in 1965 a director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the regions.

Retirement Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 for bishops, Dougherty submitted his letter of resignation as bishop of Scranton to Pope Benedict XVI in April 2007. The Pope accepted his resignation two years later on August 31, 2009.

Dougherty continued to serve as a member of the board of trustees of the Catholic Distance University. Prior to his death, he lived at Christ the King Parish in Archbald, Pennsylvania. He celebrated mass and heard confessions regularly.

On July 31, 2019, the Diocese of Scranton paid a settlement in a sexual abuse allegation dating to 1941. The victim alleged that she had been molested at age nine by Martin J Fleming, then a priest at Holy Name Parish in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania. The victim first made her allegation to an official of the Diocese of Venice in Florida. That official sent the information in April 2006 to the Diocese of Scranton. On June 30, 2006, the victim traveled to Pennsylvania and met with Dougherty to report the allegations against Fleming, now deceased. After listening to her story, Dougherty suggested she talk to a counselor or a good friend. Fleming was listed in the 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report of abusive priests.

Death On April 16, 2022, he died in his family's home in Scranton, Pennsylvania.