Sexual Abuse Allegations Against William B. Brennan

Father William B. Brennan was a Catholic priest who served in many assignments in the Archdiocese of Detroit, but he was accused of sexual abuse by three different women. Though the abuse occurred early in his career, Brennan did not experience repercussions until decades later. 

• Primary Entity Name: William B. Brennan
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father William Brennan, Fr. William, Fr. Brennan, William Brennan
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2012)

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

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Many accused priests are not identified publicly by church entities in the wake of sexual abuse allegations. The following entities have publicly disclosed the nature of Brennan’s conduct:

• The Archdiocese of Detroit, on its list of credibly accused priests who have been removed from ministry duties
• The Detroit News, in an article detailing multiple local priests removed from ministry

William Brennan was identified as a credibly accused sexual abuser by these entities. The Archdiocese of Detroit added his name to the list at an unknown time, while The Detroit News disclosed the information in 2005. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1953 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1953-2003

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Utica, Adrian, Dearborn Heights, and Detroit)

Restrictions: Placed on a leave of absence and removed from ministry in 2003, restricted from ministry by the Vatican in 2005

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: Archdiocese of Detroit in 2003, The Vatican in 2005

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1953 – St. Lawrence Parish in Utica, MI

1958 – St. Mary Parish in Adrian, MI

1960 – St. Boniface Parish in Detroit, MI

1963 – St. Christine Parish in Detroit, MI

1964 – St. Luke Parish in Detroit, MI

1968 – St. Margaret Mary Parish in Detroit, MI

1970 – St. Sebastian Parish in Dearborn Heights, MI

Non-Church Assignments:

1959 – Graduate Study in Ponce, Puerto Rico

Known Allegations

There are not many details about the sexual abuse allegations against Father William B. Brennan. In 2003, three female survivors came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Brennan. They claimed the behavior occurred in the early years of his ministry. 

Upon receiving these reports, the Archdiocese of Detroit launched an investigation in 2003. After a nine-month investigation, the diocese determined that the allegations were credible. As a result of their findings, the diocese’s leaders decided to place Brennan on leave of absence. He was also restricted from all ministry activities. Brennan was allowed to resign from his position as a pastor at St. Sebastian in Dearborn Heights. The leave of absence was considered temporary, pending review by the Vatican, which would make the final decision regarding his ministerial status. 

In 2005, the Vatican also reviewed the matter and permanently removed Brennan from current and future ministry roles. No criminal charges were pursued because the statute of limitations had expired in Michigan. 

Summary: Father William B. Brennan was accused of sexually abusing three female victims when they were underage during his early ministry career, and once these allegations were brought forth in 2003, he was promptly removed from further ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

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)

Institutional Actions and Review

There are no reports that the Archdiocese of Detroit was aware of Brennan’s sexual abuse before 2003. Once the three female victims came forward, the diocese immediately launched an investigation with the help of civil authorities. At the conclusion of this investigation, nine months later, the review board determined that the allegations were credible.

In 2003, the Archdiocese of Detroit removed William Brennan from active ministry, allowing him to resign from St. Sebastian Parish. No criminal charges were pursued since Michigan’s statute of limitations had expired. However, the diocese also referred the matter to the Vatican. In 2005, the Vatican officially removed the accused priest from all ministry titles. This closed the matter, as Brennan had been on a temporary leave of absence since 2003. With the Vatican’s decision, Brennan would never again be allowed to act in the capacity of a priest or serve in Catholic ministry roles. He was also listed as one of the accused Michigan priests. 

Timeline

1953 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1953-2003 – Assigned to various parishes within the Diocese

Unknown – Early in Brennan’s ministry career, he sexually abuses three underage girls

2003 – The three victims come forward and accuse Brennan of sexual abuse, informing the Archdiocese of Detroit of his conduct

2003 – The Archdiocese of Detroit launches a nine-month investigation and determines that the allegations are credible

2003 – Brennan is placed on a leave of absence and restricted from ministry activities in the Archdiocese of Detroit, while the matter is referred to the Vatican for final decision

2005 – The Vatican determines that Brennan should be removed permanently from ministry for substantiated sexual abuse allegations

Unknown – Brennan’s name is included on the Archdiocese’s list of substantiated sexual abuse allegations against priests

2012 – Brennan dies

Speak With an Attorney

In many cases, victims of clergy abuse do not speak out for years, especially if they were children when the misconduct occurred. However, you can still pursue civil action against a priest or negligent church officials if you have suffered from sexual abuse by a clergy member. At the Injury Lawyer Team, we will stand by your side to fight for justice and fair compensation for losses. 

If you are a victim of sexual abuse by a member of the church in Detroit, contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with our Michigan clergy abuse lawyers. We will provide compassionate legal support to ensure your story is heard. 

Sources

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

• A profile on William B. Brennan from Bishop Accountability’s website
• A record of a press release from the Vatican, as shared by The Detroit News, regarding the suspension of multiple priests accused of sexual abuse
• A public statement from the Archdiocese of Detroit, recorded by Bishop Accountability, on the removal of Brennan from ministry following sexual abuse allegations
• A list of credibly accused priests from the Archdiocese of Detroit
• A history of the archbishops 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.