Over two dozen former priests affiliated with the Diocese of Gaylord are alleged to have sexually abused children or engaged in inappropriate relationships, according to a report released by Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The report released Monday said that 28 former officials in the Diocese — 26 priests and two deacons — have been accused of sexual misconduct against children or adults since 1950. Information regarding the accusations was received from a search warrant of the Diocese’s documents and a tip line that has been active since 2018.
Of the 28 officials, 16 are known or believed to be deceased. Eighteen of the 28 were ordained or incardinated by the Diocese of Gaylord.
Fourteen officials were already publicly acknowledged by the Diocese of Gaylord as “credibly accused,” including nine who were ordained or incardinated at the Diocese. These priests are Fr. Patrick Barrett, Fr. Ronald Gronowski, Fr. Lionel Harnish, Fr. James Holtz, Fr. Benedict Marciulioni, Fr. Raymond Pilarsk, Fr. Terrence Raymond, Fr. Robert Gordon Smith and Fr. John Tupper. Non-diocesan priests include: Fr. Theophane (William) Goett, OFM; Fr. Denis (Joseph) Hall, OFM; Fr. Wilbert (Norbert) Hegener, OFM; Fr. Leo Olschaysken, O. Praem; andFr. Laurus (Raymond) Rhode, OFM.2
The Department’s investigation uncovered allegations against an additional 14 officials affiliated with the Diocese. These officials are Fr. Raymond Cotter, Fr. Walter Derylo, Fr. James Gardiner, Fr. Donald Geyman, Fr. Craig Haider, Fr. John J. Hennessy, S.J., Fr. Thomas Kaiser, Fr. Francis Karl, Fr. Daniel Madigan, Fr. James McLaughlin II, Fr. Eyob Merin, Fr. Slyvestre Obwaka, Deacon Richard Trapp and Deacon Edward Vondra.
You can read the full report here.
Nessel released a statement Monday praising survivors of sexual abuse and pledging to continue investigating instances of abuse within religious organizations.
“Our promise to the victims was that every case of sexual abuse and assault would be thoroughly reviewed and that the results of the investigation would be transparent,” she said. “I especially want to thank the survivors who have shared their stories, sometimes for the first time after decades of silence. Their willingness to come forward has helped bring attention to an issue that has affected so many in our state and our country, especially children.”
“We must break down the walls of silence that so often surround sexual assault and abuse,” Nessel added. “In the end, we hope this investigation provides a voice to those who have suffered in silence for so long and shines a light on those alleged offenders whose actions allowed them to evade true accountability.”
No criminal charges have been brought against current or former leaders in the Diocese of Gaylord, and Assistant Attorney General Danielle Hagaman-Clark said that future charges were unlikely unless additional information was uncovered.
The Attorney General’s office stressed that the Diocese of Gaylord has been willing and open with sharing information regarding these leaders, saying in a release that their cooperation was “instrumental” in the completion of the report.
The report is the second of seven — one for each diocese in Michigan — that Nessel reaffirmed would be released by the time she leaves office in 2026. Nessel previously issued a report on the Diocese of Marquette in 2022 and said that she is aiming for the next report to be publicly released in the next six months.
