Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Lawrence Edwards

Father Lawrence Edwards was a Catholic priest from 1939 until his retirement in 1985. After he died in 1999, a lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Detroit included Edwards as a perpetrator of sexual abuse against a boy between the ages of 10 and 12 during one of Edwards’ ministry assignments. 

• Primary Entity Name: Lawrence Edwards
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Lawrence Edwards, Fr. Lawrence, Fr. Edwards
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (1999)

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

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Father Lawrence Edwards was assigned to various parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit, including St. Mary’s in Milford, MI. The 2004 lawsuit claims that Edwards abused the victim during his time at this parish. According to various reports, the church may have been aware of these allegations as early as 1967.

Although Edwards retired in 1985 and died in 1999, the Archdiocese of Detroit eventually identified him on a list of credibly accused priests. This list was published on June 10, 2019, to inform the public about priests with substantiated sexual abuse allegations against them. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1939

Years in Active Ministry: 1939-1985 (roughly 46 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Milford)

Restrictions: Removed from public ministry

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: June 10, 2019, in a public list of credibly accused priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1939 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1939-1985 – Assigned to various parishes throughout the diocese, including St. Mary’s in Milford, MI

1985 – Retired from ministry roles

1999 – Dies

Non-Church Assignments:

Late 1960s and Early 1970s – Chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Port Huron, MI

Known Allegations

There are very few records about the alleged sexual abuse committed by Father Edwards. In the 2004 class-action lawsuit brought against the Archdiocese of Detroit, an anonymous victim from Troy, MI, claimed that he was subjected to inappropriate acts of a sexual nature at the hands of Edwards. The sexual abuse occurred over several years when the victim was 10, 11, and 12 years old. 

The lawsuit also claimed that the victim knew of other survivors who had accused Edwards of sexual abuse when they were children. The lawyer representing the plaintiffs stated that the archdiocese may have known about the accusations against Edwards since 1967. However, there are no records of the church taking any action against Edwards, aside from possibly reassigning him to new parishes. 

Lawrence Edwards eventually retired from ministry in 1985. It is unclear whether this retirement had anything to do with sexual abuse allegations. Edwards passed away in 1999. In 2019, the Archdiocese of Detroit released its public list of credibly accused priests who had served within the diocese in some capacity. Edwards was listed as “previously removed from public ministry,” though it is hard to ascertain when this removal occurred, if not during his ministry assignments. 

Summary: Father Edwards was accused of sexually abusing multiple minors in a 2004 lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Detroit, though it appears as if he faced no repercussions before his retirement in 1985 and his death in 1999. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Archbishop Edward Aloysius Mooney (1937-1958)
• Archbishop John Francis Dearden (1958-1980)
• Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka (1981-1990)
• Archbishop Adam Joseph Maida (1990-2009)

Associated Organizations:

Mercy Hospital in Port Huron, MI

Institutional Actions and Review

According to data from Bishop Accountability and press releases about the 2004 lawsuit, the church may have been first informed of Edwards’ conduct in 1967. There are no records indicating a response by the Archdiocese of Detroit at that time. The accused priest did not retire from ministry until 1985, and there is no indication that this retirement was related to sexual abuse allegations. 

The only other evidence of church action against Edwards occurred well after his death. On June 10, 2019, the archdiocese published its list of credibly accused Michigan priests connected to Detroit. In this list, Lawrence Edwards is mentioned as a concluded case of substantiated sexual abuse. The list also states that Edwards was previously removed from active ministry. It is unclear when this “removal” occurred, or whether it was connected to reassignments or to Edwards’ retirement in 1985. 

Timeline

1939 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1939-1985 – Assigned to various parishes in the archdiocese, as well as serving as the chaplain at Mercy Hospital

Unknown – Assigned to St. Mary’s in Milford

1960s – Sexually abused a boy over several years when he was between 10 and 12 years old, and was accused of mistreating several other victims

1967 – The church is allegedly informed of Edwards’ misconduct, according to the 2004 class-action lawsuit against the archdiocese

1985 – Retired from public ministry

1999 – Died

2004 – A class-action lawsuit is filed against the Archdiocese of Detroit, which included a victim who claimed Edwards abused him at St. Mary’s

2019 – The Archdiocese of Detroit published its list of priests accused of sexual abuse, which included Edwards under the designation “previously removed from public ministry”

Speak With an Attorney

Sexual abuse has become a rampant issue in the church. Clergy members are often given a higher level of authority and respect, which can create power dynamics that allow misconduct to occur, especially with underage victims. If you have suffered from sexual abuse by a church official, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side as you pursue justice. Our compassionate attorneys can help you pursue a civil lawsuit against the diocese or an individual abuser, even if the misconduct occurred many years ago.

A successful lawsuit cannot heal the physical and emotional damage from your abuse, but it can secure your financial future with fair compensation for legal damages. If you are a victim of sexual abuse in this state, contact our Michigan clergy abuse lawyers today to schedule a free and confidential consultation. 

Sources

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

• Bishop Accountability’s profile of Father Lawrence Edwards
• A press release about the class-action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Detroit from the Times Herald
• A press release listing the accused priests in the class-action lawsuit, as reported by the Detroit News
• A history of the archbishops in Detroit
• The list of priests accused of sexual abuse within 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.