Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Jude T. Ellinghausen

Father Jude Ellinghausen was a Catholic priest at numerous parishes within the Archdiocese of Detroit from 1968 to 2002. He was restricted from certain ministerial duties in 2002 after sexual abuse allegations arose, alleging that  Ellinghausen had mistreated an underage boy in the 1970s.

• Primary Entity Name: Jude T. Ellinghausen
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Jude Ellinghausen, Fr. Jude, Fr. Ellinghausen, Jude Ellinghausen
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2023)

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

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Many sexually abusive priests are not identified for years after their initial accusations. Although Ellinghausen was accused of misconduct in the 1970s, his actions weren’t publicized for decades. The following entities have since identified Ellinghausen:

• The Vatican in 2005, when Ellinghausen was officially laicized and stripped of his clerical status
• The Archdiocese of Detroit in 2020, via a public list of credibly accused priests who had served in the diocese

These entities identified Ellinghausen due to substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in the early years of his ministry. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1958 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1958-2002 (roughly 44 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Warren, Gross Pointe Farms, Port Huron, Trenton, Detroit, Marine City, North Branch, and Clifford)

Restrictions: Retired with restricted ministry in 2002

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: 2005

Public Disclosure: 2005 by the Vatican, 2020 by the Archdiocese of Detroit

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1958 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1958 – St. Mark in Warren, MI, and St. Paul in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI

1963 – St. Joseph in Port Huron, MI

1964 – St. Timothy in Trenton, MI

1969 – St. Gerard in Detroit, MI

1973 – Holy Cross in Marine City, MI

1974 – St. Jude in Detroit, MI

1979 – St. Joseph in Port Huron, MI

1986 – Saints Peter and Paul in North Branch, MI, and St. Patrick Mission in Clifford, MI

2002 – Resigned and granted senior pastor status

Known Allegations

Father Jude Ellinghausen was accused of sexual abuse between 1976 and 1979 while he was assigned to St. Jude in Detroit. The primary victim, named John Singelyn Jr, was just a boy when Ellinghausen inappropriately touched him. Singelyn claimed that Ellinghausen stole his childhood. 

In 2002, Ellinghausen was allowed to retire when the Archdiocese of Detroit received word of sexual abuse allegations against him. When Singelyn saw that the pastor was receiving a retirement celebration while denying any wrongdoing, he stepped forward to accuse the priest of sexual abuse over three years. 

Ellinghausen responded to the allegations by stating that he did take young boys on trips often, but did not speak about the allegations of sexual misconduct. He also noted that he understood why the church wanted him to resign and restrict his public ministry duties. 

In 2005, the Vatican announced that Ellinghausen had been laicized, meaning that all ties with the Catholic Church were severed. He was no longer permitted to present himself as a priest or to perform any other ministerial duties. In June 2020, the Archdiocese of Detroit named Ellinghuasen in the public list of credibly abused priests who had served in the area. He was listed as “previously dismissed from the clerical state.”

Summary: Although Father Ellinghausen allegedly abused a boy for three years in the 1970s, he continued to serve in ministry roles until allegations came forth in 2002, at which point he retired with ministry restrictions before he died in 2023. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Archbishop John Francis Dearden (1958-1980)
• Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka (1981-1990)
• Archbishop Adam Joseph Maida (1990-2009)

Institutional Actions and Review

According to Singelyn, Ellinghausen’s victim, the response of the church to the abuse allegations was insufficient. He believed that priests were not being held accountable for ruining childhoods. When Singelyn heard about Ellinghausen’s retirement celebration and the fact that the priest denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, he decided to come forward with his accusations.

According to reports, the Archdiocese of Detroit first received reports of the misconduct in 2002. At that time, the church allowed Ellinghausen to retire as a senior pastor while restricted from ministry. The abuse that occurred almost 30 years earlier had no impact on Ellinghausen’s career until his resignation, as he served in numerous parish assignments after his time at St. Jude. 

The accused priest was named in a civil lawsuit and eventually laicized in 2005 after a review by the Vatican. In 2020, the Archdiocese of Detroit included Ellinghausen’s name as one of the credibly accused Michigan priests on the list of abusive clergy members. Ellinghausen passed away in 2023. 

Timeline

1958 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1958-2002 – Assigned to various parishes in the area as an associate pastor or pastor

1974 – Assigned to St. Jude in Detroit, MI

1976-1979 – Sexually abused John Singelyn Jr. for three years 

2002 – Reports of sexual abuse committed by Ellinghausen arise, prompting him to resign from his parish assignments with ministry restrictions

2005 – Laicized by the Vatican, ending all ties with the Catholic Church and preventing him from presenting himself as a priest

2020 – Publicly identified by the Archdiocese of Detroit for substantiated sexual abuse allegations, and listed as “previously dismissed from the clerical state”

2023 – Dies

Speak With an Attorney

The impact of sexual abuse by a clergy member can last a lifetime. Many victims struggle with their physical and emotional health for years after their experiences. If you are a victim of sexual abuse by a church official in Michigan, you may have grounds for a civil lawsuit. The Injury Lawyer Team can stand by your side during the claims process to hold the at-fault parties accountable, whether that is an individual priest or the local diocese. 

Our compassionate attorneys will fight for fair compensation for your legal damages. Contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

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

• A profile of Father Jude Ellinghausen on Bishop Accountability’s website
• A Detroit Free Press article about the Catholic Church’s struggles with disciplined priests
• A Detroit Free Press press release about the Archdiocese dealing with abusive clergy members
• The Vatican’s statement about banning priests from ministry, as reported by the Associated Press
• A Detroit News press release about clergy members being ousted due to sexual abuse policies
• A history of the archbishops of Detroit
• A statement from the Archdiocese of Detroit about Ellinghausen
• The list of credibly accused priests in 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.