Ordained, 1987

Notes: Fr. Eric Swearingen has worked at more than 10 parishes. In 2002, Fr. Swearingen was accused of sexually abusing a minor altar boy from 1989 to 1993 while working at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bakersfield, California. The alleged victim filed a lawsuit which went to trial in 2006. The jury was posed with two questions: is Fr. Swearingen guilty of sexual misconduct and is the Diocese of Fresno guilty of wrongdoing? The jurors found Fr. Swearingen guilty of child sexual abuse; however, the jury fell short of the nine votes required to find the Diocese of Fresno guilty of wrongdoing. Due to this, it ended in a mistrial. Instead of a retrial, Fr. Swearingen and his accuser entered a binding arbitration to settle the lawsuit, the conclusion of which has remained secret. Fr. Swearingen was found guilty of sexual abuse, but has faced no punitive action and was allowed to continue working as a priest, overseeing youth ministries. As of 2018, Fr. Swearingen was working at Good Shepherd Catholic Parish in Visalia, California. Fr. Swearingen’s current status as a priest, whereabouts, and whether he has access to children are unknown.

Assignments:

1987-1988 Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bakersfield, CA (FRS)

1989 Our Lady of Victory, Fresno, CA (FRS) 

1990-1991 St. John Vianney House, Fresno, CA (FRS); St. Alphonsus, Fresno, CA (FRS)

1992-1998 St. Helen, Fresno, CA (FRS) 

1999-2000 St. Peter, Lemoore, CA (FRS) 

2001-2014 Holy Spirit, Fresno, CA (FRS)

2015-2016 St. Thomas the Apostle, Visalia, CA (FRS); Holy Family, Visalia, CA (FRS)

2015-2017 St. Mary, Visalia, CA (FRS)

2017-2018 Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, Visalia, CA (FRS)

2019 Unknown