Christopher Cunningham

Ordained: 1989

After spending fifteen years in parishes with schools, Christopher Cunningham was removed from St. Louise de Marillac in Covina in 2004 without explanation.  Months later, the Archdiocese stated that the move was due to Cunningham’s “emotionally unstable, harsh in exercising authority and interfered with an internal church investigation.”  In 2006, he was removed  from active ministry and in 2008, he was included on the Archdiocese’s list of clergy with credible accusations.

In 2015, in a civil lawsuit, Cunningham was accused of sexual abuse 2001 and 2002 of a 12-13 year-old boy, while pastor of Covina parish.  The lawsuit alleged that he often had boys with him in his living quarters.  In 2017, in another lawsuit, he was accused of abuse of four boys — ages 10-15 — that occurred in the mid-1990s and early 2000s at three different parishes.  This lawsuit claims that reports were made to superiors in each case, but no action was taken.

Father Cunningham's Assignments

Articles about Father Cunningham

• Bishop Accountability - Civil Complaint for Damages (07/05/2015)
• San Gabriel Valley Tribune - Former priest accused of sexually abusing minors at Covina, Redondo Beach and Palmdale churches (31/10/2017)