Fr. Richard Lauinger

On March 28, 2016, the archdiocese made a shocking announcement regarding credible allegations against Lauinger, accusing him of sexually abusing minors during his time in ministry. A brave woman came forward publicly, revealing that Lauinger had raped her when she was just 10 years old in the 1950s while she attended Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, MI, where Lauinger served as a priest. Despite filing a police report in February 2016, no legal action could be taken against Lauinger due to the statute of limitations. It was later discovered that Lauinger had also worked at various parishes in Detroit, Royal Oak, Scotland, and St. Clair Shores. In 1975, he made the decision to leave the priesthood and eventually relocated from Michigan in 1985. According to the archdiocese’s statement on April 1, 2016, numerous other victims had come forward since January 2016. Finally, on June 10, 2019, Lauinger’s name was included on the archdiocese’s list, and he was subsequently laicized.