Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Richard Joseph Lawie

This page documents the publicly reported sexual abuse allegations involving Richard Joseph Lawie, along with contemporaneous diocesan responses, internal records, and media coverage, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Richard Joseph Lawie
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Richard Lawie, Fr. Richard Lawie, Rev. Richard Lawie
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic priest and parish pastor
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Richard Joseph Lawie was publicly identified as a Catholic priest with allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct involving adult males and additional reported non-consensual sexual acts by the Diocese of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Attorney General.

The allegations and related records were documented in the Michigan Attorney General’s investigative report on the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and Lawie resigned from parish ministry in January 2003. Lawie died on April 14, 2022, while on long-term disability status, having never returned to active parish ministry.

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan Attorney General
• Reason for Listing: Documented reports of alleged inappropriate sexual conduct involving adult males, and additional reports of alleged non-consensual sexual acts

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1969

Years in Active Ministry: 1969–2003

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Grand Rapids (MI)

Restrictions: Resigned from parish ministry in January 2003 and placed on long-term disability status

Criminal Convictions: None reported

Laicization: No public record of laicization

Died: April 14, 2022

Public Disclosure: Publicly identified by the Diocese of Grand Rapids and documented in the Michigan Attorney General’s investigative report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Grand Rapids

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. Joseph Parish – Manistee, MI
• St. James Parish – Grand Rapids, MI
• Holy Spirit Parish – Grand Rapids, MI
• St. Mary Parish – Lowell, MI
• St. Joseph Parish – Wright, MI
• St. John Vianney Parish – Wyoming, MI
• Our Lady of the Lake Parish – Holland, MI
• Holy Redeemer Parish – Jenison, MI

Publicly available diocesan records and secondary reports confirm these parish assignments but do not consistently disclose precise start and end dates for each placement.

Known Allegations

The reported misconduct involving Richard Joseph Lawie developed over time and was addressed through diocesan review before later being summarized in an investigative record.

The earliest report relates to events in the late 1950s, when a man later identified as John Doe #28 stated that, as a minor between approximately 11 and 15 years old, he experienced sexually inappropriate behavior involving seminarian Richard Lawie during overnight stays connected to St. Rita’s Church in Maple City, Michigan. 

Church officials documented this report but concluded it did not fall under the Charter because Lawie was also a minor and not yet ordained, and the matter was handled as under review rather than classified as substantiated. 

Decades later, additional reports involved adult men during Lawie’s priesthood. Diocesan records describe inappropriate sexual conduct at a parish rectory in Holland, Michigan, during the summer of 1989, when the complainant was a young adult seeking pastoral guidance.

Church officials reviewed this conduct internally and regarded it as credible for Church purposes. 

Further internal correspondence from 2001 reflects that another adult male reported non-consensual sexual misconduct involving Lawie, which Lawie denied at the time, but which nonetheless prompted involvement by diocesan victim assistance personnel, counseling support, legal consultation, and settlement discussions. 

Church records indicate that multiple reports were received over time and addressed through internal review processes.

Summary: Richard Joseph Lawie faced multiple reports of sexually inappropriate conduct involving both a minor during his time as a seminarian and adult men during his priesthood, which were reviewed through diocesan processes and ultimately led to his resignation from parish ministry.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Robert Rose – Diocese of Grand Rapids
• Paul V. Donovan – Diocese of Grand Rapids
• Joseph C. McKinney – Diocese of Grand Rapids

Institutional Actions and Review

Church records indicate that concerns involving Richard Joseph Lawie were first brought to diocesan attention in the early 1990s, when Lawie disclosed inappropriate conduct involving an adult male and was referred for counseling, with the matter handled internally and without public disclosure at that time. 

Additional information surfaced in 1999 and 2001, when adult men reported inappropriate and non-consensual conduct to diocesan officials, prompting involvement by victim assistance personnel, consultation with legal counsel, reimbursement of counseling expenses, and internal review discussions that referenced earlier concerns in Lawie’s personnel history. 

During this period, Lawie remained in parish ministry, and records reflect that complainants sought assurances that he would no longer be active or reassigned, indicating ongoing concern about his continued service. 

In January 2003, following further review and mounting internal documentation, Church authorities publicly acknowledged the matter when the Diocese of Grand Rapids accepted Lawie’s resignation from parish ministry, after which he was placed on long-term disability status and did not return to active service. 

Separate reports received in 2006 regarding alleged misconduct during Lawie’s time as a seminarian were documented and reviewed, but were classified as not falling under the Charter due to his age and status at the time. 

The cumulative handling of these matters, including the delayed inclusion of Lawie’s name among the Michigan clergy identified as credibly accused, was subsequently examined and summarized in the investigative report issued by the Michigan Attorney General, which reviewed historical diocesan records and institutional responses.

Timeline

Late 1950s — Reported sexually inappropriate conduct occurred while Lawie was a seminarian, during overnight stays connected to St. Rita’s Church in Maple City, Michigan

1969 — Ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Grand Rapids

1969–2003 — Active parish ministry within the Diocese of Grand Rapids

Summer 1989 — Reported inappropriate sexual conduct involving an adult occurred at a parish rectory in Holland, Michigan

1993 — Lawie disclosed inappropriate conduct involving an adult to diocesan officials and entered counseling

1999–2001 — Additional adult reports raised with diocesan officials; internal review, victim assistance involvement, and legal consultation followed

January 2003 — Resigned from parish ministry; removed from active pastoral service

February 1, 2003 — Placed on long-term disability status by the Diocese of Grand Rapids

2006–2007 — Report received and reviewed regarding alleged misconduct during Lawie’s time as a seminarian; recorded as under review and not classified under the Charter

April 14, 2022 — Died

December 12, 2022 — Identified as credibly accused in the investigative report issued by the Michigan Attorney General

Speak With an Attorney

Survivors of sexual abuse involving Richard Joseph Lawie or other Catholic clergy in Michigan may still be able to pursue accountability. Injury Lawyer Team assists individuals impacted by clergy abuse across the state.

Reach out for a private consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney to discuss your situation and potential legal next steps.

Sources and Public Records

The information on this page is drawn from public records, official Church disclosures, investigative reporting, and contemporaneous media coverage, including the following sources:

• The Michigan Attorney General’s investigative report on the Diocese of Grand Rapids, which documents the allegations involving Richard Joseph Lawie and summarizes the internal diocesan records, victim assistance files, settlement discussions, and institutional responses.
• Investigative reporting coverage on clergy abuse in West Michigan, which provides contextual reporting on the Michigan Attorney General’s findings.
• A 2003 news article on Lawie’s resignation, which details his departure from parish ministry, references acknowledged inappropriate conduct, and reports on the Church’s handling of the matter at the time.
• Official Diocese of Grand Rapids obituary and clergy records, which confirm Lawie’s ordination, parish assignments, long-term disability status following his resignation, and date of death.

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official government or 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.