Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

Father Philip Snouffer, who pioneered the use of information technology at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s central office in the late 1980s and early 1990s, died Feb. 18 at Gilchrist Hospice in Towson. He was 83.

Drawing from his experience as a librarian and a math teacher, Father Snouffer helped usher in a new way of doing business at the archdiocese’s Catholic Center, creating computer programs to track information, introducing employees to word processing and spreadsheet programs, and converting paper records to digital files.

“He would tell me all about databases and how you could organize and classify everything,” his niece, Kendall Hutchinson, said. “This man, he loved organization and classifying. He was not neat in the real world, but everything was organized on his computer.”

Hutchinson said her uncle shared his love of traveling and hiking with her. The pair would often visit national parks such as Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Father Snouffer loved discovering new cuisines in his travels. In Baltimore, he was a regular at Mount Vernon’s Tio Pepe and particularly enjoyed the city’s Korean restaurants.

“He would take me to wonderful restaurants like a Hungarian restaurant in Idaho or in Colorado where we would get fresh trout. He introduced me to foods that I normally wouldn’t eat,” Hutchinson said.

Born in Baltimore in 1937, Father Snouffer grew up in West Baltimore, where he was a member of St. Bernardine Parish. He attended its grade school and served as an altar boy.

Decades later, Father Snouffer remained dedicated to his childhood parish. Hutchinson said Father Snouffer had much success investing his savings over the years in the stock market. She said the majority of his estate will benefit St. Bernardine Parish as well as the University of Louvain in Belgium, where he studied in the late 1950s early 1960s.

At the University of Louvain, Father Snouffer earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy as well a degree in religious education. After graduating in 1962, he was ordained to the priesthood for the archdiocese in the university’s chapel.

He would later earn a master’s degree in library science from The Catholic University of America in 1970.

In the 1960s, Father Snouffer served as a librarian and teacher at several Baltimore schools, including Cardinal Gibbons High School. Through the 1970s and early 1980s, Father Snouffer served as an associate pastor at various parishes — including Ss. Philip and James in Homewood and Our Lady Queen of Peace in Middle River — and later became a chaplain for Franklin Square Hospital and Deaton Medical Center.

In 1985, Father Snouffer began to work for the Archdiocesan Department of Pastoral Planning and Management. His role there would eventually lead to the creation of the informational technology department at the Catholic Center. He retired in 1999.

A viewing will be held at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 24 at St. Bernardine in West Baltimore followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Rev. Philip T. Snouffer Endowment Fund, which benefits St. Bernardine Parish and other Catholic institutions.

Email Tim Swift at tswift@CatholicReview.org

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