Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Rev. Canon Darius W. Wyszynski

This page outlines the assignments, credible allegations of sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Rev. Canon Darius W. Wyszynski, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Catholic clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Darius Walter Wyszynski
• Common Variations / Aliases: Fr. Darius Wyszynski, Rev. Darius W. Wyszynski, Canon Darius Wyszynski
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic Priest, Parochial Vicar, Pastor
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Rev. Canon Darius Wyszynski was publicly identified by the Diocese of Lansing as a priest with a credible allegation of sexual abuse. He was also included in the Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation report, which summarizes allegations, internal Church communications, and canonical actions taken after reports were received.

Entity that Listed Him:

• Diocese of Lansing
• Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation report

Reason for Listing:
Credible allegation of sexual abuse, followed by restriction from public ministry and referral for canonical review as documented in public investigative records.

Key Status Facts

Ordination year: June 7, 1958

Years in active ministry: Public diocesan records reflect assignments spanning multiple parishes, with retirement listed as November 5, 2007

Locations where he served: Michigan, and one publicly listed assignment in Wisconsin, along with an ordination connection to Illinois

Any restrictions placed: Restricted from public ministry on April 4, 2008

Removal, resignation, reassignment: Public records describe restriction from public ministry rather than a public “removal” date during life

Laicization: No public record located stating he was laicized

• Public disclosure/listing date: Diocese of Lansing publicly released its clergy list on September 27, 2019, and later updates continued to include him
• Death: February 17, 2013

Assignment History

Primary Diocese/Archdiocese: Diocese of Lansing

Publicly available diocesan records identify Rev. Canon Darius Wyszynski as a priest ordained for the Assumption BVM Franciscan Province in Wisconsin and later incardinated into the Diocese of Lansing on July 14, 1970. The diocese’s public list sets forth the assignment sequence. In most cases, the list does not publish specific start and end dates for each placement. Where exact date ranges are documented in public materials, those dates are included.

Parish Assignments:

• St. Stanislaus, Wyandotte, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. Mary, Green Bay, Wisconsin (dates not publicly specified)
• Immaculate Conception, Three Rivers, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. John the Evangelist, Jackson, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. Philip, Battle Creek, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. Michael, Flint, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. Leo, Flint, Michigan (dates not publicly specified)
• St. Joseph, Ypsilanti, Michigan (1971–1979, as reflected in parish history, with exact end date not always stated in diocesan records)
• St. Stanislaus Kostka, Jackson, Michigan (1979–November 5, 2007, with retirement date publicly listed)

Non-Church Assignments:

Public disclosures do not provide a detailed list of non-parish institutional roles for Rev. Canon Wyszynski. The Michigan Attorney General’s report and diocesan records do, however, document key status markers that function as formal career brackets:

• Incardination into the Diocese of Lansing: July 14, 1970
• Senior Priest Status (retirement): November 5, 2007

Known Allegations

Public records describe allegations of sexual misconduct connected to Rev. Canon Darius Wyszynski arising from two reported timeframes, one involving an adult who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, and another involving a report of misconduct against a child. 

The Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing report states that the diocese received a written statement signed by “John Doe 120,” dated September 26, 2002, and date-stamped as received on November 21, 2002. 

The statement alleged that, in 1978, when John Doe 120 was 18 and worked odd jobs at St. Stanislaus Parish in Jackson, Michigan, Rev. Canon Wyszynski arranged for him to stay overnight at the rectory after picking up the priest from the airport. 

The statement alleged that the reporting party awakened during the night to find Rev. Canon Wyszynski performing a sexual act on him. The same report describes an additional allegation that, after the reporting party later accompanied Rev. Canon Wyszynski on a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, he awoke to inappropriate physical contact and later stated he walked in on Rev. Canon Wyszynski in bed with two boys.

Separate public reporting, including bishop accountability documentation, describes a report received by the Diocese of Lansing in May 2007 from an individual alleging Rev. Canon Wyszynski sexually abused him when he was approximately 10 years old in 1967 or 1968. The reporting party described the alleged conduct as occurring in his bedroom while he was ill, framed as a priestly visit.

Taken together, these public records reflect allegations arising from settings in which Rev. Canon Wyszynski held pastoral authority and access through parish life, and they show that reports were received years after the alleged misconduct. Public investigative materials document that Church leadership treated the reports as requiring formal investigation and canonical review, and that Rev. Canon Wyszynski was later restricted from public ministry.

Summary: Public records describe allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct connected to Rev. Canon Darius W. Wyszynski, including a statement received by the diocese in 2002 alleging misconduct in 1978, and a later reported allegation describing abuse of a child in 1967 or 1968, followed by restriction from public ministry and documented canonical referral.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishop Alexander M. Zaleski — Diocese of Lansing (served as bishop during portions of the late 1960s and 1970s period referenced in public records)
• Bishop Carl F. Mengeling — Diocese of Lansing (served as bishop during much of the period when assignments and the 2002 statement fall within diocesan history, and is referenced in public records concerning diocesan administration and review)
• Bishop Earl Boyea — Diocese of Lansing (oversaw the diocese during the later public disclosure and safeguarding administration reflected in diocesan communications and listings)

Institutional Actions and Review

Public investigative records reflect that the Diocese of Lansing received written allegations and later took steps consistent with formal internal review processes. 

According to the Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing report, Rev. Canon Wyszynski was restricted from public ministry on April 4, 2008. The same report describes documentation indicating that the diocese conducted a preliminary investigation in accordance with canon law procedures and, in April 2008, communicated with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding the allegations and the diocese’s evaluation of them.

Separate from the internal canonical process described in the investigative report, the Diocese of Lansing later publicly included Rev. Canon Wyszynski on its list of clergy with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor. 

The diocese’s public list of Michigan accused priests identifies his ordination connection, incardination date, senior priest status date, date of death, and a sequence of assignments. Those public disclosures constitute the primary institutional record establishing his documented ministry settings and the diocese’s public determination that the matter met the diocese’s credibility threshold for inclusion.

Timeline

March 6, 1931 — Born in Hamtramck, Michigan

June 7, 1958 — Ordained to the priesthood

July 14, 1970 — Incardinated into the Diocese of Lansing

1967–1968 — Alleged abuse reported as occurring when a complainant was approximately 10 years old

1971 — Public parish history reflects he became pastor of St. Joseph in Ypsilanti, Michigan

1978 — Alleged misconduct reported by a complainant describing events connected to St. Stanislaus Parish in Jackson, Michigan, and a trip to Mexico

1979 — Public obituary records reflect he served as pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Jackson, Michigan, beginning in 1979

September 26, 2002 — Statement signed by a reporting party later provided to the diocese (as described in the Michigan Attorney General’s report)

November 21, 2002 — Diocese of Lansing date-stamped receipt of the 2002 statement (as described in the Michigan Attorney General’s report)

May 2007 — Diocese received a report alleging abuse of a child in 1967 or 1968 (as described in public records)

November 5, 2007 — Senior Priest Status (retirement)

April 4, 2008 — Restricted from public ministry

February 17, 2013 — Died

September 27, 2019 — Diocese of Lansing publicly released its list of clergy with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor, including Rev. Canon Wyszynski

December 16, 2024 — Included in the Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation report

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Rev. Canon Darius Wyszynski or another Catholic clergy member in Michigan, you may still have legal options. Contact us to book a free and confidential consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney. 

Sources and Public Records

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

• The Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation report, which provides Rev. Canon Wyszynski’s birth and ordination details, incardination date, restriction date, and a detailed narrative of the 2002 statement and related allegations.
• The Diocese of Lansing’s downloadable version of its credible allegation list, preserved as a public record copy, includes the same listing details and assignment sequence for Rev. Canon Wyszynski.
• A parish history entry for St. Joseph in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which identifies Rev. Canon Wyszynski as appointed pastor in 1971.
• An obituary and funeral notice that state he served as pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Jackson from 1979 until his retirement in 2007 and confirm his date of death.

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.