Armour R. Roberts Sexual Abuse Allegations

This page documents Father Armour R. Roberts’s clerical assignments, publicly reported allegations of sexual abuse, and the actions taken, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Armour R. Roberts
• Common Variations / Aliases: Armour Roberts, Father Armour R. Roberts, Fr. Armour Roberts
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Diocesan priest
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Father Armour R. Roberts is a Catholic priest who has been publicly identified in connection with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors during his clerical service, including a Church entity and a state investigative authority:

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

Following the diocesan review, Roberts was removed from active ministry. He died in 1989, prior to the public release of abuse lists and government investigations, and was not criminally prosecuted.

Public records further show that Roberts was asked to leave the Diocese of Marquette in 1965 following documented “morals charges,” with diocesan correspondence expressing concern that he was not fit for priestly ministry at that time.

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Bismarck, Michigan Attorney General’s Office (2022 Investigation Report)
• Reason for Listing: Substantiated and credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: June 4, 1955

Years in Active Ministry: 1955–1989

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Marquette (MI), Diocese of Bismarck (ND)

Restrictions: None publicly reported

Died: December 8, 1989

Public Disclosure: Named on the Diocese of Bismarck’s substantiated-claims disclosure and the Michigan Attorney General’s Diocese of Marquette investigation report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Marquette

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. Joseph’s Parish – Sault Ste. Marie, MI (1956)
• St. John the Baptist – Garden, MI (1957–1959)
• Sacred Heart Parish – L’Anse, MI (1962)
• St. Joseph’s Parish – Lake Linden, MI (1963)
• Holy Name of Mary – Sault Ste. Marie, MI (1964)
• St. Hildegard Parish – Menoken, ND (1970)
• St. Vincent de Paul – Mott, ND (1971–1972)
• St. Philomena – Glenburn, ND (1973–1983)
• St. Wenceslaus – Dickinson, ND (1984–1987)

Roberts also held diocesan administrative roles in Bismarck between 1979 and 1989, including service as a tribunal advocate, participation in pastoral planning, and membership on the priest personnel board.

Known Allegations

Father Armour R. Roberts has been linked to allegations of sexual abuse of minors that emerged years after his death and were later reviewed through diocesan and government investigative processes.

The reported misconduct is associated with his time serving as a parish priest in Michigan, with allegations referencing incidents involving teenage boys.

Public records indicate that the alleged abuse occurred primarily during the late 1950s through the 1970s, while Roberts was engaged in parish ministry. Accounts summarized in Church disclosures describe situations in which minors were allegedly provided alcohol and then sexually abused.

One documented allegation states that in the late 1960s or early 1970s, Roberts and another priest allegedly took three high school freshmen to New Leipzig, North Dakota, where the boys were supplied alcohol and sexually abused.

Additional survivor reports describe abuse occurring at St. Mary’s Parish in Norway, Michigan, in or around 1960, as well as during outings, hunting trips, and overnight stays arranged through parish activities.

More than one allegation has been reported, suggesting a pattern of misconduct rather than a single isolated incident.

Church authorities later reviewed these reports and determined the allegations to be substantiated or credible, leading to Roberts’s posthumous inclusion on official disclosure lists. No criminal charges were filed, and no civil litigation is publicly documented, largely because the allegations surfaced long after his death.

At least one survivor received a financial settlement from Church authorities in 2014 following a renewed report of abuse and a diocesan credibility assessment.

Summary: Father Armour R. Roberts was accused of sexually abusing multiple minors during his priestly ministry, with allegations later deemed substantiated through diocesan review.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Bishop Thomas L. Noa – Diocese of Marquette
• Bishop Charles A. Salatka – Diocese of Marquette

Institutional Actions and Review

There is no public evidence that allegations involving Father Armour R. Roberts were reported to, recorded by, or acted on by Church officials during his lifetime. Available sources do not show that he was investigated, restricted, removed from ministry, or reassigned due to misconduct before his death in 1989.

No records indicate that information about alleged abuse was communicated between dioceses during his assignments, or that concerns were formally documented in his personnel file at the time. He remained in active ministry until his death.

Internal diocesan correspondence from 1965, later disclosed in investigative reports, shows that leaders of the Diocese of Marquette had expressed serious concerns about Roberts’s conduct, warned other dioceses about potential “scandal,” and declined to recommend him for continued priestly work.

Institutional review occurred decades later as part of broader clergy-abuse accountability efforts. The Diocese of Bismarck conducted a retrospective review of historical allegations and included Roberts on its substantiated-claims list following that process. 

Separately, the Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 investigation into the Diocese of Marquette documented allegations connected to his ministry as part of a statewide examination of past abuse and diocesan handling involving other accused Catholic priests in Michigan.

No criminal or canonical proceedings were initiated, as Roberts had been deceased for many years by the time the allegations were formally evaluated.

Timeline

1955 — Ordained as a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Marquette in Michigan

1956–1964 — Served in multiple parish assignments within the Diocese of Marquette

1961 — First documented internal concerns raised while assigned to St. Mary’s Parish in Norway, Michigan

1965 — Asked to leave the Diocese of Marquette following morals-related concerns documented by the bishop

1966–1969 — Absent on leave; later associated with the Diocese of Bismarck

Late 1950s–1970s — Alleged abuse reportedly occurred during parish ministry in Michigan and North Dakota

1970s–1980s — Served in parish and diocesan roles within the Diocese of Bismarck

1989 — Died while still a priest with no public record of restrictions, removal, or disciplinary action during his lifetime

January 2020 — Publicly listed by the Diocese of Bismarck on its substantiated claims disclosure following retrospective review

October 2022 — Identified in the Michigan Attorney General’s Investigation of the Diocese of Marquette

Speak With an Attorney

Individuals who experienced sexual abuse involving Father Armour R. Roberts or other priests in Michigan may be eligible to seek accountability through the civil justice system. Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors with discretion, care, and a focus on long-term recovery.

A confidential conversation with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney can help clarify your rights and outline the legal paths that may still be open to you.

Sources and Public Records

This page draws on publicly available records, official Church disclosures, investigative reports, and survivor accounts, including the following sources:

• BishopAccountability.org’s profile on Father Armour R. Roberts, which compiles diocesan disclosures, historical records, and reporting related to substantiated sexual abuse allegations connected to his clerical service.
• The Diocese of Bismarck’s official list of substantiated claims, where Father Armour R. Roberts is publicly identified as having allegations determined by the diocese to be credible.
• The Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 investigation into the Diocese of Marquette, which documents clergy abuse allegations and diocesan handling of accused priests, including references to Father Armour R. Roberts in the context of reported misconduct.
• A January 2020 Minot Daily News article, which reports on priests named by the Diocese of Bismarck as credibly accused and provides public context surrounding the release of that list, including Father Armour R. Roberts.

No criminal conviction is implied unless it is expressly documented in public court records or formally acknowledged in official Church or government investigative findings.