Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Joseph Emile Aubin

This page documents Joseph Emile Aubin’s clerical assignments, the publicly reported allegation of sexual misconduct, and the institutional actions against him, as part of Injury Lawyer Team’s ongoing representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Joseph Emile Aubin
• Common Variations / Aliases: Joseph Aubin, Fr. Joseph Aubin, Father Joseph Aubin, Rev. Joseph Emile Aubin
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Priest, pastor, parochial vicar, and chaplain
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Joseph Emile Aubin was publicly identified as a Catholic priest against whom a credible allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor was reported during his clerical service. His name was disclosed by Church authorities after an internal review concluded that the allegation, dating to the 1960s, met the Diocese of Lansing’s standards for credibility.

Church records show that he was removed from public ministry in November 2018 as a result of that determination. He remained permanently restricted from ministry until his death in 2020.

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Lansing
• Reason for Listing: Credible allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1961

Years in Active Ministry: 1961-2002 (held Senior Priest status until his removal in 2018)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Lansing

Restrictions: Removed from public ministry

Died: April 15, 2020

Public Disclosure: Publicly disclosed by the Diocese of Lansing in 2018

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Lansing

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

Public diocesan disclosures list the following parish assignments without complete start-and-end dates:

• St. Paul Parish – Owosso, MI 
• St. Leo Parish – Flint, MI
• St. Philip Parish – Battle Creek, MI
• St. Isidore Parish – Laingsburg, MI
• St. John the Evangelist Parish – Davison, MI
• St. Mary Parish – Durand, MI

Following his removal, Aubin resided in diocesan housing for retired priests in DeWitt, Michigan, a property owned and managed by the Diocese of Lansing.

Non-Church Assignments: During his clerical career, Aubin also served as a chaplain at the Michigan Boys Training School, a state juvenile facility. 

Known Allegations

Public Church disclosures state that Joseph Emile Aubin was accused of sexually inappropriate conduct involving a minor, with the alleged misconduct dating to the 1960s.

The Diocese of Lansing later reviewed the report through its internal process and determined that it met the diocese’s standard for a credible allegation, which is the basis for his public listing. In the materials released publicly, Church officials did not identify the specific parish, city, or facility where the alleged conduct occurred, and no victim details were published.

Diocesan representatives later stated that the victim did not file a police report and that the allegation was not brought to Church officials until decades after the alleged incident occurred.

Public reporting further indicates that Church officials acknowledged the allegation involved a single reported incident, rather than a pattern of repeated abuse.

The Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Lansing investigation does not provide additional underlying facts about Aubin beyond the diocese’s disclosure, which leaves the public narrative limited to the diocese’s credibility determination and the historical timeframe of the allegation.

Summary: Joseph Emile Aubin was accused of sexual misconduct involving a minor in the 1960s. This allegation was later deemed credible by Church officials, and Aubin was removed from public ministry, though no criminal charges were filed, and no civil judgment is publicly documented in connection with this allegation.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Joseph H. Albers – Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing
• Alexander M. Zaleski – Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing
• Earl Boyea – Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing

Institutional Actions and Review

Public records indicate that the Diocese of Lansing became aware of the allegation against Joseph Emile Aubin decades after the alleged misconduct, with the report surfacing long after the events of the 1960s.

The diocese reviewed the matter through its internal process and concluded that the allegation met its standard for credibility, though no public record specifies the exact date the complaint was first received. In response to that determination, Church authorities removed Aubin from public ministry on November 15, 2018, at which point he was no longer permitted to function in any priestly capacity.

Diocesan officials publicly stated that an internal risk assessment was conducted and that Aubin was deemed to pose a low risk of reoffending due to the age of the allegation and his advanced age at the time of disclosure.

Church representatives also confirmed that an external risk assessment was initiated through the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma to further evaluate the matter.

There is no publicly available evidence that Aubin was reassigned to another parish or ministry following the allegation, nor is there documentation showing that information about the allegation was shared during earlier transfers, as his parish moves predated the report by many years.

The Diocese of Lansing publicly released Aubin’s name as part of a larger disclosure involving 17 clergy members, following cooperation with statewide investigative efforts led by the Michigan Attorney General. Aubin’s name also appears on a publicly accessible list of accused clergy in Michigan.

Timeline

1961 — Ordained as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Lansing

Circa the 1960s — Alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor reportedly occurred during early priestly service

1961–2002 — Served in active parish ministry within the Diocese of Lansing

1961–1970s (approx.) — Served as Parochial Vicar at St. Paul Parish (Owosso), St. Leo Parish (Flint), and St. Philip Parish (Battle Creek) (exact years not publicly specified)

1970s–1990s (approx.) — Served as Pastor at St. Isidore Parish (Laingsburg), St. John the Evangelist Parish (Davison), and St. Mary Parish (Durand) (exact years not publicly specified)

June 26, 2002 — Granted Senior Priest status (retired from active parish leadership)

Date not publicly disclosed — Allegation reported to diocesan authorities and reviewed internally

November 15, 2018 — Removed from public ministry after allegation was deemed credible

2018 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Lansing as a cleric against whom a credible allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor was reported

2018–2020 — Lived in diocesan housing for retired priests in DeWitt, Michigan

April 15, 2020 — Died

Speak With an Attorney

If you experienced sexual abuse involving Joseph Emile Aubin or another priest in Michigan, you may have legal options worth exploring. Injury Lawyer Team represents clergy abuse survivors across Michigan and focuses on accountability for both individuals and institutions.

You can speak privately with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney to discuss your situation and learn what options may be available.

Sources and Public Records

This page is based on publicly available records, official Church disclosures, government review materials, and contemporaneous media reporting concerning allegations and disciplinary actions involving Joseph Emile Aubin, including the following sources:

• The Diocese of Lansing’s official list of clergy against whom credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been reported, which includes Joseph Emile Aubin.
• A contemporaneous news report documenting the Diocese of Lansing’s November 2018 decision to remove Aubin from public ministry, including statements from Church officials describing the allegation as dating to the 1960s.
• The Michigan Attorney General’s December 2024 Diocese of Lansing Report, which evaluates patterns of clergy sexual abuse and institutional response within the diocese and notes the Department’s lack of independent information beyond Church disclosures regarding Aubin.
• BishopAccountability.org’s profile on Joseph Emile Aubin, compiling assignment history, allegation summaries, diocesan actions, and references to underlying Church disclosures and media reporting.

No criminal conviction, prosecution, or civil judgment is stated unless explicitly reflected in public court records or clearly documented in official Church, law enforcement, or government 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.