Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Benedict J. Marciulionis

This page provides an overview of the credible sexual abuse allegations involving Benedict J. Marciulionis, along with documented Church responses, investigative findings, and disclosure history, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Benedict J. Marciulionis
• Common Variations / Aliases: Benedict Marciulionis, Father Benedict Marciulionis, Fr. Benedict Marciulionis, Fr. Ben Marciulionis
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Roman Catholic parish priest
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Benedict J. Marciulionis was publicly identified as a Catholic priest against whom credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor were recorded. His name was disclosed years after his death by multiple institutional authorities, including:

• The Diocese of Gaylord
• The Michigan Attorney General’s Office

As documented in the relevant public records and disclosures, Marciulionis had already been removed from ministry in 1981, but no criminal charges were pursued in connection with the allegations. He died in 2000 without returning to public ministry or holding any active clerical assignment.

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Gaylord; Michigan Attorney General’s Office (2024 report)
• Reason for Listing: Credible and substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1943

Years in Active Ministry: 1943–1981

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Gaylord

Restrictions: Removed from ministry

Criminal Convictions: None reported

Laicization: No public record of laicization

Died: May 5, 2000

Public Disclosure: Named in the Diocese of Gaylord list and the 2024 Michigan AG Report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Gaylord

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• Skidway Lake Parish – Skidway Lake, MI (dates not publicly specified)

There is no detailed documented parish assignment history for Benedict J. Marciulionis beyond this single parish reference among the available public records.

Non-Church Assignments: No non-church or external ministry assignments publicly documented.

Known Allegations

The allegations against Benedict J. Marciulionis center on repeated inappropriate conduct toward a minor that allegedly occurred during the late 1970s to early 1980s, when the complainant was in fifth through eighth grades. 

According to disclosure documents and investigative summaries later reviewed by Church and state authorities, the conduct was alleged to have taken place while Marciulionis was serving as a parish priest at Skidway Lake Parish. It happened in environments connected to his clerical role and routine access to the child, including the parish rectory, the confessional, his residence, and during private transportation. 

The records describe a gradual pattern in which Marciulionis allegedly used his position of trust, familiarity with the family, and informal parish-related interactions to create opportunities for private contact over an extended period of time.

Disclosure materials further reflect allegations that more than one minor within the same family may have been affected during the same general timeframe, suggesting a broader pattern rather than a single incident. 

According to the narrative summarized in investigative documents, the alleged conduct came to an end after concerns were raised within the family, after which Marciulionis was removed from the parish. 

When the allegation was later reviewed through the Diocese of Gaylord’s internal process, Church officials determined that it met the standard for a credible and substantiated allegation, leading to his inclusion on the diocese’s published list of credibly accused clergy. 

No criminal prosecution resulted, and the accused priest was deceased at the time the allegation was formally reviewed and publicly disclosed.

Summary: Benedict J. Marciulionis allegedly engaged in repeated inappropriate conduct toward a minor during the late 1970s to early 1980s while serving as a parish priest, and although no criminal charges were pursued, he was removed from ministry in 1981 and later publicly identified by Church and state authorities as credibly accused.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Robert Rose – Bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord

Institutional Actions and Review

The institutional record reflects that concerns involving Benedict J. Marciulionis surfaced internally during the early 1980s, when Church authorities became aware of issues serious enough to result in his removal from parish ministry in 1981 while he was serving within the Diocese of Gaylord. 

Diocesan documents describe his status at that time as a retirement or removal from ministry, though contemporaneous correspondence indicates uncertainty about whether his clerical faculties were formally revoked, creating ambiguity about the scope of restrictions imposed. 

No documentation in his personnel file identified prior complaints or allegations of abuse before that period, and no evidence was recorded showing that concerns were formally shared across diocesan transfers. Decades later, after his death, an allegation was reviewed through the diocese’s internal process, which concluded that the claim met the Church’s standard for a credible and substantiated allegation. 

Despite the seriousness of the finding, no criminal charges were pursued, reflecting both the historical nature of the allegation and the absence of a contemporaneous prosecution. 

Public disclosure did not occur at the time of his removal, but instead came years later, when the diocese published a comprehensive list of credibly accused Michigan clergy in November 2018.

His case was later included in the January 8, 2024, investigative report issued by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, which reviewed diocesan handling of historical clergy abuse allegations and documented the sequence of internal actions and delayed transparency.

Timeline

1943 — Ordained as a Roman Catholic priest

1943–1981 — Active ministry within the Diocese of Gaylord

Late 1970s–early 1980s — Alleged inappropriate conduct toward a minor reportedly occurred while Marciulionis was serving at Skidway Lake Parish

1981 — Removed from parish ministry and retired following internal concerns or information brought to Church leadership, though diocesan records later described uncertainty about whether his clerical faculties were formally revoked

2000 — Died

August 2007 — Allegation reported to the Diocese of Gaylord after his death

November 10, 2018 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Gaylord on its published list of clergy with credible and substantiated allegations

January 8, 2024 — Included in the Michigan Attorney General’s Gaylord Diocese investigative report reviewing historical allegations and diocesan handling

Speak With an Attorney

Survivors of sexual abuse involving Catholic clergy, including Benedict J. Marciulionis, may be entitled to pursue civil claims under Michigan law. The Injury Lawyer Team works with individuals seeking accountability and justice.

Reach out today for a private consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney to discuss your situation and available legal remedies.

Sources and Public Records

This page is based on publicly available records, official Church publications, investigative materials, and contemporaneous media reporting, including the following sources:

• The Diocese of Gaylord’s official list of clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, where Marciulionis is identified along with his clerical status, removal from ministry, and date of death, reflecting the diocese’s internal determination of credibility.
• The Michigan Attorney General’s January 8, 2024, Gaylord Diocese investigative report, which examines historical allegations of sexual abuse involving clergy who served in the Diocese of Gaylord, including the case of Benedict J. Marciulionis.
• A compiled clergy profile hosted on BishopAccountability.org, which assembles diocesan records, investigative materials, and related public disclosures from primary sources concerning allegations and clerical status associated with Benedict J. Marciulionis.
• Contemporaneous news coverage from November 2018, which reported on the Diocese of Gaylord’s release of a list of priests accused of sexual misconduct dating back to the establishment of the diocese, providing public context for when and how Marciulionis’ name was first disclosed.

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in official court records or law-enforcement documents.

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.