Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Walter J. Lezuchowski

This page provides an overview of Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski’s clerical assignments, the credible child sexual abuse allegations reported against him, and the actions taken by church authorities, as part of Injury Lawyer Team’s work on clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Walter J. Lezuchowski
• Common Variations / Aliases: Walter Lezuchowski; Fr. Walter Lezuchowski; Father Walt Lezuchowski; Walter J. Lezuchowski (common misspelling); Lechuzowski
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit
• Current Status: Deceased, previously removed from public ministry

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski was publicly identified by the Archdiocese of Detroit as a priest against whom there was a credible allegation of child sexual abuse. Following that determination, the Archdiocese removed him from public ministry and placed him on leave, barring him from performing priestly duties. 

He wasn’t criminally convicted or formally laicized and remained listed as removed from ministry until his death in 2006.

• Entity that Listed Him: Archdiocese of Detroit
• Reason for Listing: Credible allegation of child sexual abuse, resulting in removal from public ministry and placement on leave

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1959

Years in Active Ministry: 1959-2002 (with internal restrictions beginning in 1991)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (MI); St. Ronald Parish, Clinton Township (MI)

Restrictions: Removed from public ministry and placed on leave by the Archdiocese of Detroit following a credible allegation of child sexual abuse

Laicization: No public record of laicization

Died: 2006

Public Disclosure: 2002, through an official Archdiocese of Detroit press release announcing his leave of absence and removal from public ministry

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• 1959 — Associate Pastor, St. Stanislaus, Detroit, MI
• 1963 — Associate Pastor, Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Detroit, MI
• 1968 — Associate Pastor, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Hamtramck, MI
• 1969 — Associate Pastor, St. Albert the Great, Dearborn Heights, MI
• 1971 — Associate Pastor, St. Robert Bellarmine, Detroit, MI
• 1978 — Associate Pastor, St. Andrew, Rochester, MI
• 1979 — Pastor, St. Aloysius, Romulus, MI
• 2000 — Temporary Administrator (and frequent celebrant), St. Ronald, Clinton Township, MI
• St. Ronald Parish — Clinton Township, Michigan (date range not publicly specified)

Public Archdiocese disclosures and contemporaneous media reporting confirm that Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski served in parish ministry within the Archdiocese of Detroit for several decades following his ordination in 1959. 

While diocesan records acknowledge long-term priestly service, a complete parish-by-parish assignment history with exact date ranges has not been fully released in publicly accessible Archdiocesan materials.

Non-Church Assignments:

Public reporting indicates that, following internal restrictions imposed in the early 1990s, he was assigned to non-parish work under supervision, including duties connected to a hospital and a correctional facility. 

No specific institution names or formal titles have been publicly disclosed, and no independent youth organizations, schools, or religious communities have been formally identified in connection with the allegations.

Known Allegations

Public disclosures and contemporaneous reporting indicate that Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski was accused of sexual abuse of a minor during his time as an active Catholic priest within the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

According to records referenced by church officials and reported by major news outlets, the allegation involved a long-term pattern of abuse rather than a single isolated incident. 

The alleged misconduct was described as beginning when the complainant was a young child and continuing over a multi-year period, placing the conduct broadly within the 1970s–1980s timeframe, though exact dates have not been publicly specified.

The specific location of the alleged abuse has not been publicly identified, and Archdiocese disclosures do not attribute the allegation to a particular parish, school, or church institution. As a result, the alleged conduct is understood to have occurred while he was serving as a priest with access to minors, rather than being tied to one named assignment.

Church officials later confirmed that the allegation was deemed credible under Archdiocesan standards. Internal action reportedly occurred as early as 1991, when restrictions were imposed, followed by public identification and removal from ministry in 2002. 

Public sources reference a single known allegation, though it is characterized as involving extended misconduct over time, not multiple unrelated complaints. No criminal conviction resulted, and no further allegations have been publicly disclosed.

Summary: Walter J. Lezuchowski was publicly identified by the Archdiocese of Detroit as the subject of a credible allegation of child sexual abuse and was removed from public ministry.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Cardinal John F. Dearden (Archbishop of Detroit, 1958–1980)
• Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka (Archbishop of Detroit, 1981–1990)
• Cardinal Adam J. Maida (Archbishop of Detroit, 1990–2009)

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that Church authorities within the Archdiocese of Detroit were first notified of an allegation involving Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski in 1991. 

The Archdiocese later confirmed that the allegation was deemed credible under its internal review standards, and internal restrictions were imposed at that time. These measures were not publicly disclosed and limited his ministerial activities, while he remained under diocesan authority.

There is no public documentation showing that information about the allegation was shared broadly outside internal Archdiocesan channels during this period or formally disclosed in connection with parish assignments. 

Media reporting later indicated that concerns were reflected in diocesan personnel records prior to 2002, suggesting prior awareness rather than a first-time complaint at the point of public action. 

In 2002, following additional review, the Archdiocese publicly identified Fr. Lezuchowski through an official press release and included him on its public list of Michigan clergy with credible allegations of abuse, while removing him from public ministry and placing him on leave. 

This public disclosure occurred years after the initial internal action, not immediately after the first notification.

Timeline

1959 — Ordained as a Catholic priest

1959–1991 — Served in priestly ministry within the Archdiocese of Detroit

1970s–1980s (approx.) — Alleged sexual abuse occurred during his time as an active priest

1991 — First known notification of an allegation received by Archdiocese authorities

2000 — Listed as Temporary Administrator at St. Ronald Parish, Clinton Township, MI

2002 — Publicly identified by the Archdiocese of Detroit through an official press release

2005 — Permanently barred from public ministry by the Archdiocese of Detroit 

2006 — Died

2009 — Referenced in Archdiocese of Detroit clergy status and policy reports

2019 — Included on the Archdiocese of Detroit’s updated public disclosure list of clergy with credible allegations of sexual abuse

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know experienced sexual abuse by Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski or another Catholic clergy member in Michigan, you may have legal rights worth exploring. The Injury Lawyer Team assists survivors statewide and is committed to respectful, confidential representation.

Reach out to speak with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer about your legal options. We are here to listen, explain your options, and support you throughout the process.

Sources and Public Records

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and investigative reporting, including the following:

• The Archdiocese of Detroit’s official list of clergy credibly accused of abuse, which includes Fr. Walter J. Lezuchowski among clergy identified through institutional review and public disclosure as having a credible allegation of sexual abuse. 
• The ProPublica “Credibly Accused” database, a historical snapshot of diocesan disclosures that lists clergy members deemed credibly accused of sexual misconduct, including Lezuchowski. 
• The BishopAccountability.org profile for Walter J. Lezuchowski, which aggregates Archdiocese materials, media coverage, and documentation of his restrictions, suspension, and related actions following allegations first raised in the early 1990s. 
• Reporting by World-Wide Religious News on broader clergy abuse cases within the Archdiocese of Detroit, which identifies Lezuchowski among priests disciplined in the context of Vatican and diocesan actions addressing abuse allegations. 

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.