Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Robert Burkholder

Father Robert Burkholder had a long career, during which he sexually abused many children throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit. He has been referred to as “Michigan’s worst pedophile,” highlighting the fact that he engaged in horrific behavior again and again while the church did little to protect the victims. 

• Primary Entity Name: Robert Burkholder
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Robert Burkholder, Fr. Robert, Fr. Burkholder
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2006)

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

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Although it took time, Burkholder was eventually identified for his misconduct by multiple entities, including:

• The Archdiocese of Detroit, MI, in June 2019, via a public list of credibly accused priests
• The Office of the Attorney General in Michigan, in 2024, via a report on sexually abusive clergy members

Burkholder was named in these publications because the sexual abuse allegations against him were substantiated. However, in both scenarios, the identification came long after he died in 2006. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1947 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1948-1985 (roughly 37 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit, Hawaii

Restrictions: Placed on sick leave in 1982, but continued to serve as an army chaplain, and was removed from ministry without privileges in 2005

Criminal Convictions: Pleaded no contest in 2002, sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: 2019 in the Archdiocese of Detroit, 2024 in the Attorney General’s report

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit, MI

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1947 – Ordained

1948-1951 – St. Augustine Church in Lenox, MI

1952-1955 – St. Mary’s in Wayne, MI

1956-1959 – Nativity of Our in Detroit, MI

1960-1964 – Holy Innocents in Roseville, MI

1965-1966 – St. Michael’s in Livonia, MI

1967-1972 – St. Hugh Church in Allen Park/Southgate, MI

1973-1975 – Presentation – Our Lady of Victory in Detroit, MI

1976-1981 – Immaculate Heart of Mary in Detroit, MI

2002 – Retired

2006 – Deceased

Non-Church Assignments:

1982-1985 – US Army Chaplain in Hawaii

Known Allegations

According to reports on Father Robert Burkholder, he was abused in the 1940s. He would go on to be dubbed Michigan’s worst pedophile. The first complaint about sexual abuse was brought forth by a family in 1968. Allegedly, Burkholder offered them a two-week vacation to keep the abuse quiet. 

In the late 1960s, a male victim was sexually abused by Burkholder and another priest at St. Michael’s in Livonia when the victim was 11 years old. According to the Michigan Attorney General’s report, Burkholder presided over the victim’s mother’s funeral shortly before sexually assaulting him at the church. Although Burkholder was not assigned to St. Michael’s at the time, he would still assault the victim multiple times over two years, sometimes alongside another priest. The victim also claimed that there was a group of priests that conspired to abuse children, pimp the children out to each other, and keep the behavior a secret. Some of the misconduct included forced oral sex and physical abuse. These allegations were brought to light in 2018.

In 1993, Burkholder admitted in writing to molesting at least 23 boys. This was several years after he “retired,” in 1985, although it is believed that he continued to serve in ministerial roles in Hawaii. Burkholder was extradited to Michigan in 2002, after which he was charged with sexually abusing children. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison and five years of probation. In 2005, he was finally removed from public ministry without privileges. 

Burkholder was a subject of multiple lawsuits in 1995 and 2009. He passed away in 2006. 

Summary: Father Robert Burkholder admitted to sexually abusing many boys during his ministry career, and he continued to serve in various parish assignments and as an army chaplain until he was arrested in 2002. 

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:

United States Army in Hawaii

Institutional Actions and Review

For a long time, the Archdiocese of Detroit appeared to be unaware of the sexual abuse committed by Robert Burkholder. In the late 1960s, when a family reported misconduct, Burkholder offered them a two-week vacation in exchange for their silence. Based on public records, the church first became aware of the misconduct when Burkholder admitted in writing that he had molested at least 23 boys. In response to this revelation in 1993, Burkholder was removed from his role. 

However, it appears that Burkholder continued to serve while residing in Hawaii, in a different diocese. Eventually, he was extradited to Michigan, where he faced criminal charges. The Archdiocese of Detroit did not identify him publicly until 2019, when a list of credibly accused Michigan priests was released. According to the Attorney General’s report, the church did refer directly to civil authorities when victims came forward in 2018 about past sexual abuse. 

Though church officials report they were first made aware of the accused priest’s conduct as early as the 1960s, Burkholder was not removed from ministry until 1993. 

Timeline

1947 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1948-1981 – Assigned to various parishes within the diocese

1968 – First recorded instance of sexual abuse occurs against a ten-year-old boy

Late 1960s – A family confronts Burkholder about sexual abuse, and he offers them a vacation in exchange for silence

1982 – Placed on “sick leave,” but served as a US Army chaplain in Hawaii

1985 – Allegedly retires

1993 – Admits in writing to molesting at least 23 boys

1993 – Removed from ministry, named in civil lawsuits that were settled the following year

2002 – Extradited from Hawaii to face criminal charges in Michigan

2005 – Removed from ministry without privileges

2006 – Dies

2009 – Named in civil lawsuits

2019 – Included on the list of credibly accused priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit

2024 – Named in the Michigan Attorney General’s report on clergy abuse

Speak With an Attorney

As a victim of clergy abuse, you may face years of physical and emotional suffering. Even if the abuse occurred decades ago, you may have grounds for a civil lawsuit to seek justice and fair compensation for legal damages. The Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side throughout the legal process to hold the at-fault parties accountable. 

Contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer. Together, we will ensure your abuser or the negligent church officials are held responsible for your suffering.

Sources

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

• A profile of Father Robert Burkholder on the Bishop Accountability website
• A press release from the Associated Press regarding multiple priests in Detroit accused of sexual abuse
• The Michigan Attorney General’s report on clergy abuse in the state, as recorded by Bishop Accountability
• The list of credibly accused priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit
• A history of the archbishops in 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.