Reverend Ambrose Kenneth Phillips, T.O.R., of the Third Order Regular Franciscans of the Province of the Immaculate Conception, USA died on Friday, January 2, 2026, in Altoona, PA.
Father Ambrose was born on October 3, 1945, in Barnesboro, PA, the child of Michael and Mary Elizabeth (Panaro). He was given the name Kenneth at Baptism.
Father Ambrose entered the Franciscan Preparatory Seminary, Hollidaysburg, PA in 1963 and professed Solemn Vows on June 29, 1969. He was ordained to the priesthood on September 25, 1971, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC.
Father Ambrose served the Church and the Franciscan Community in a variety of ministries. In the Diocese of Saint Cloud, MN he was Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care at St. Otto’s Home and St. Gabriel’s Hospital and Instructor at St. Francis High School, all on the campus of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN. He also served as an Instructor at James Barry Robinson High School, Norfolk, VA in the Diocese of Richmond. In 1979 Fr. Ambrose earned his accreditation as a Mental Health Chaplain and ministered at St. Elizabeth Hospital and Georgetown University Hospital, both in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. In 1985 he was hired by the St. Luke Institute, Silver Spring, MD as a psychotherapist. In October 2025 he was recognized by St. Luke’s for 40 years of dedicated and distinguished service. Fr. Ambrose also served his Franciscan as Director of Formation and, more recently, as a member of the Provincial Council. In October 2025 he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stomach cancer that caused him to retire from his position at St. Luke’s and return to St. Bernardine Monastery, Hollidaysburg where he was residing at the time of his death.
Fr. Ambrose enjoyed gardening and had a deep appreciation for the beauty found in nature. One of his favorite places to spend time was the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. He especially enjoyed it when the azaleas were in bloom each spring. He also enjoyed the theater and opera, and it was not uncommon for him to burst into a favorite aria while seated at the kitchen table! In his four decades at St. Luke’s, he assisted many priests and religious to recover their health and regain a sense of self-worth. He was a kind and gentle man who greeted others with a broad smile and warm embrace.
Father Ambrose was preceded in death by his parents and older brother Michael. He is survived by his sister Marilyn (Louis) Tyler, a sister-in-law Mary Ann Phillips, many cousins, friends and his Franciscan Community.
A funeral Mass was celebrated on January 7, 2026, with the Very Reverend Father Frank Scornaienchi, T.O.R., Minister Provincial, as the principal celebrant. Memorial gifts in Father Ambrose’s memory may be made to the Franciscan Friars’ Retirement Fund, P.O. Box 139, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648.
