Father John F. Harrold
Diocese of Syracuse
Ordained: 1973
Removed: 1997
Assigned as follows:
- 1974 – 1977: St. Mary of the Assumption (Rome, NY)
- 1978: St. Peter (Rome, NY)
- 1979 – 1980: St. Catherine (Binghamton, NY)
- 1980: Catholic Charities of Broome County (Binghamton, NY)
- 1980: Family Life Bureau (Broome County, NY)
- 1981 – 1982: St. Mary (Oswego, NY)
- 1983: Leave of absence
- 1984 – 1986: On duty outside the Diocese – Servants of the Paraclete
- 1987: Absent on leave
- 1988 – 2003: On duty outside the Diocese
- 2004 – 2018: Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father John F. Harrold:
According to media reports, Father John Harrold was arrested in 1983 for sending child pornography through the mail. The charges were dropped after he agreed to enter a psychiatric treatment center in New Mexico.
For a few years, he worked at the treatment center. He also worked in England at a Paraclete home for recovering alcoholics and at a retreat house in California. In 1997, the Diocese of Syracuse asked him to resign as priest after coming across his name in personnel files. He was last known living in California. He never returned to active ministry in the Syracuse area.
Father Harrold was among 32 priests in the Diocese of Syracuse who were removed as part of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that was established in June 2002.
Father Harrold’s name appeared publicly on the Diocese of Syracuse’s list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors, published in December 2018. It released almost no information on the allegations against each priest, including age/gender of the victims, or the priest’s assignment at the time of the alleged abuse.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Diocese of Syracuse in New York. The Diocese of Syracuse filed for federal bankruptcy protection in June 2020. Anyone sexually abused by a priest or employee of the Diocese of Syracuse may be entitled to file a claim against the Diocese in these bankruptcy proceedings, but very strict filing deadlines apply. Most victims of abuse in the Diocese of Syracuse will never be able to take any legal action if they miss this bankruptcy filing deadline, so it is important that you contact us immediately to discuss your potential case. Our lawyers have decades of experience representing survivors of clergy sexual abuse in New York and nationwide. We can help.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your options today.