Msgr. Craig Francis Harrison

Ordained: 1987

Placed on Leave: 2019

Assigned as Follows:

1988-1989 Our Lady of Mercy; Sacred Heart; St. Patrick (Merced, CA)
1990-1991 St. Francis (Bakersfield, CA)
1992 St. Francis (Mojave, CA)
1993-1999 St. Joseph (Firebaugh, CA)
2000-2007 St. Francis (Bakersfield, CA)
2008-2018 St. Francis of Assisi (Bakersfield, CA)
2011-2012 St. Mary (Buttonwillow, CA)
2012 St. Mary (Taft, CA)
2013-2018 Our Lady of the Snows (Frazier Park, CA)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Msgr. Craig Francis Harrison:

Msgr. Craig Francis Harrison was ordained a priest in 1987, who served in the Diocese of Fresno. He was the father of 8 adopted boys, and chaplain for the Sheriff's Office and the Police. According to media reports, he was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2019, due to an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor. The alleged abuse occurred decades prior in Firebaugh, California when the victim was age 14 through 16. Msgr. Harrison denied the allegation, and later that month two more survivors came forward with sexual abuse claims against him.

One of the two minors had reported the abuse by Msgr. Harrison in 1998 and again in 2002, and the Diocese of Fresno deemed the allegations unsubstantial. After investigating, Bakersfield Police announced that no criminal charges will be filed against him. Msgr. Harrison has since filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Fresno for defamation.

In February 2021, the Diocese of Fresno announced that Harrison had resigned from ministry. It is unclear if his resignation is related to Harrison's refusal to drop the lawsuit or the abuse allegations. The Diocese of Fresno's statement alluded to a degraded relationship between Harrison and Bishop Brennan, who stated that Harrison was the subject of discipline for refusing to obey Brennan's directive to drop the lawsuit.

In June 2021, Msgr. Harrison was named in a lawsuit that alleged he sexually abused a 15-year-old boy who was a parishioner at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Firebaugh, CA. The alleged abuse occurred over a two year period from 1993 to1995.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Fresno in California. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in one of California's Catholic dioceses, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Fresno now have legal options due to a temporary change in California law, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in California and nationwide. We can help.

Msgr. Craig Francis Harrison – Diocese of Fresno