Helping California Survivors of Sexual Abuse at St. Francis High School
If you were abused by a priest, teacher, coach, staff member, or trusted adult at St. Francis High School—or any other California school—we want to help you.
Dozens of survivors of sexual abuse have come forward to expose dangerous practices allowing child sexual abuse to flourish at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge by prolific perpetrator Fr. Christopher Kearney, O.F.M. Cap. St. Francis High School, a Catholic college preparatory school, was founded in 1946 by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Fr. Kearney was assigned to St. Francis from 1970 to 1995, providing him access to thousands of minor students. It is believed that Fr. Kearney is one of the most prolific Catholic perpetrators of child sexual abuse in California.
In 2002, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles received an allegation that Fr. Kearney had engaged in sexual misconduct while wrestling with high school boys in 1979, 1980, and 1995 at St. Francis High School. In 2018, Fr. Kearney was included in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ list of priests accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. From 2019 to 2022, we filed approximately 26 lawsuits against St. Francis High School under the California Child Victims Act, identifying Fr. Kearny and accusing him of sexually abusing students.
Report: Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles
This report contains the names of clergy associated with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who have been accused of sexual misconduct. While lawsuits were filed involving many of these alleged perpetrators, the vast majority of the claims previously brought against these individuals have been settled or have not been fully evaluated in a civil court. Accordingly, the allegations should be considered just allegations and should not be considered proved or substantiated in a court of law.
California Child Victims Act
On January 1, 2020, the California Child Victims Act (AB 218) opened a three-year window for California child sexual assault survivors of any age to file claims against their perpetrators and the institutions responsible for the abuse, no matter when the abuse occurred, or if their perpetrator is dead. If you were sexually assaulted as a child in California, it’s time to take legal action, begin healing and help make California safer for children today.
You Are Not Alone. We Are Here to Help.
It’s time for justice. It’s time for you to share your story safely and confidentially. It’s time to lay down your burden and reclaim your power. It’s time to expose those who hurt you and make sure what happened to you never happens to another child. It’s time to take action under the California Child Victims Act. Before deciding on such severe and sensitive matters, we encourage all survivors of child sexual abuse to consult with legal counsel before proceeding with a claim. We want to help you find accountability and healing. We will stand by you. We will fight for you.