10 Michigan Priests Accused of Misconduct

GAYLORD, MI — A Roman Catholic diocese in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula has released a list naming 10 priests accused of sexual misconduct dating back to 1971, the Associated Press has reported.

The list was recently made public on the website of the Diocese of Gaylord. Eight of the priests have died while the other two have been removed from public ministry.

The diocese says the most recent credible incident of sexual abuse of a minor involving clergy in the Diocese of Gaylord is alleged to have occurred three decades ago.

The release of the list comes amid a state investigation of sexual abuse by priests being led by the Michigan attorney general’s office.

The Diocese of Gaylord includes the 21 most northern counties of the Lower Peninsula. The area includes 75 parishes and nearly 54,000 Catholics.

Here's the list:

Patrick Barrett
Permanently removed from public ministry 2002
Deceased 2006

Ronald Gronowski
Permanently removed from public ministry 2002

Lionel Harnish
Removed from ministry 1986
Deceased 2007

James Holtz
Permanently removed from public ministry 2002

Benedict Marciulionis
Removed from ministry 1981
Deceased 2000

Raymond Pilarski
Permanently removed from public ministry 2006
Deceased 2017

Terrence Raymond
Left priesthood 1985
Deceased 1986

Robert Gordon Smith
Deceased 1990

Priests from Religious Orders against whom credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been made while they served in the Diocese of Gaylord:

Laurus Rhode, OFM
Removed from diocese and returned to Religious Order 1993
Deceased 1995

Leo Olschaysken, O. Praem
Removed from diocese and returned to Religious Order 1974
Deceased

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