Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Dennis Duggan

Father Dennis Duggan began his ministry career in 1980 as a Catholic priest, but his history of sexual abuse allegations eventually led to his removal from pastoral duties. The severity of the abuse even caused his laicization in 2007, which cut all his ties with the Catholic church. According to reports, there were at least five complaints of sexual abuse against Duggan.

• Primary Entity Name: Dennis Duggan
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Dennis Duggan, Fr. Dennis, Fr. Duggan
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Laicized and removed from ministry

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Father Dennis Duggan, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Father Dennis Duggan served for many years in various parishes while sexually abusing minors. According to reports, the church was unaware of the misconduct until 2002. The following entities have publicly identified Dennis Duggan for his misconduct:

• The Archdiocese of Detroit, MI, in June 2019, via a public list of credibly accused priests
• The Vatican, in 2007, finalized Duggan’s laicization and full removal from clerical duties and status

These actions were taken because the sexual abuse allegations that came to light in the early 2000s were substantiated in the eyes of the church. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1980 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1980-2002 (roughly 22 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Detroit, Royal Oak, and Union Lake)

Restrictions: Removed from two parishes in 2002 when allegations came out

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: April 2007

Public Disclosure: June 2019 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit, MI

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1980 – Ordained

Unknown – National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, MI

Unknown – St. Patrick Catholic Church in Union Lake, MI

1988-2002 – St. Suzanne in Detroit, MI, and Our Lady Gate of Heaven in Detroit, MI

2002 – Removed from both parishes

Known Allegations

In March 2002, the Archdiocese of Detroit received reports that Father Dennis Duggan had sexually abused a minor earlier in his ministry career. Within hours, church officials met with Duggan, who agreed to step away from his duties at St. Suzanne and Our Lady Gate of Heaven while the matter was investigated. 

At the time, many parishioners rallied behind Father Duggan. They claimed it was unfair that he was being dismissed for charges that occurred decades earlier. Duggan also claimed that he was innocent of all allegations of sexual abuse, though he did admit to having had an alcohol abuse problem in the past that may have endangered children when he was driving. 

In total, there were five complaints of sexual abuse against Duggan, all of which took place in the 1980s and 1990s. The archdiocese issued a public statement that the claims were serious enough to warrant his removal from the parishes. 

There was also a report of harassment against Duggan by an employee at the Family Independence Agency. A young boy had expressed interest in joining the church to Duggan. When the boy was put in foster care, Duggan repeatedly called the FIA to enquire about the child. An employee was concerned about the large number of calls from a local priest and reported the matter as harassment. 

Duggan admitted to being too physical with some parishioners, claiming he hugged too much. Hugging between priests and parishioners is not permitted under church policy.

In 2004, several years after the allegations came to light, a church trial was ordered regarding Duggan’s status as a Catholic priest. His full removal from ministry was finalized, and he was laicized by the Vatican in 2007, severing all ties to the Catholic Church. 

Summary: Father Dennis Duggan was accused of sexually abusing multiple children in the 1980s and 1990s, and he was promptly removed from his ministry role when these allegations came to light in 2002. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka (1981-1990)
• Archbishop Adam Joseph Maida (1990-2009)

Institutional Actions and Review

Once allegations of sexual abuse arose, the church took immediate action to address the situation. The first report was made in 2002, and within hours, the archdiocese met with Duggan, who agreed to step away from the two parishes. The church immediately began investigating the claims and determined that they were credible enough to remove Duggan from ministry. 

Despite strong support for the accused priest within his parish community, the church remained firm in its decision to keep him out of ministry. A church trial was held in 2004 to determine Duggan’s long-term future. In 2007, the laicization process was completed when the Vatican confirmed his removal from the Catholic Church, ensuring he could never again serve in a ministerial role. 

Many years later, the Archdiocese of Detroit released a list of credibly accused priests in Michigan who had served in some capacity within the diocese’s jurisdiction. Dennis Duggan was included in this publication and was listed as “dismissed from the clerical state”. This list was made to inform the public about priests with substantiated sexual abuse allegations against them. It was released on June 10, 2019. 

Timeline

1980 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1980-2002 – Serves in multiple parish assignments within the diocese

1980s and 1990s – Allegedly sexually abused five underage victims while serving in various parishes

2002 – The first reports of sexual abuse are brought to the archdiocese

2002 – Duggan agrees to leave two parishes within hours of the allegations coming to light while the church investigates the matter

2004 – The archdiocese orders a church trial to determine Duggan’s long-term status

2007 – The Vatican decides to laicize Duggan, stripping him of his clerical status

2019 – The Archdiocese of Detroit publishes its list of credibly accused priests and includes Duggan

Speak With an Attorney

Pursuing a civil lawsuit against church officials or a diocese can be overwhelming for victims of sexual abuse, especially if the trauma occurred when they were children. At the Injury Lawyer Team, our compassionate attorneys will provide a safe environment to tell your story and pursue a civil claim. Together, we will fight for fair compensation for your legal damages while holding the at-fault parties accountable. 

If you have suffered at the hands of a priest in this state, contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with Michigan clergy abuse lawyers. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church and diocesan disclosures, legal filings, and survivor reports, including:

• A profile on Father Dennis Duggan on the Bishop Accountability website
• A press release from the Detroit Free Press about complaints against local priests
• A statement from the Archdiocese of Detroit about sexual abuse allegations involving Duggan
• A press release on the Vatican’s laicization of Duggan
• A Detroit News press release about Duggan’s account following allegations
• A list of credibly accused priests released by the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2019
• A history of the archbishops serving the Archdiocese of Detroit

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.