Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Norbert Paul LaCosse

This page summarizes the clerical assignments, the credible allegations of sexual abuse, the institutional responses, as well as the criminal proceedings involving Norbert Paul LaCosse, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Norbert Paul LaCosse
• Common Variations / Aliases: Norbert LaCosse, Norbert P. LaCosse, Fr. Norbert LaCosse, Rev. Norbert LaCosse
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Catholic priest and pastor
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Norbert Paul LaCosse was publicly identified as a Michigan clergy member, credibly accused and criminally convicted of sexual abuse of sexual abuse of a minor by multiple Church entities and government bodies, including:

• The Diocese of Marquette
• The Michigan Attorney General’s Office (2022 report)

He was convicted of sexually abusing a minor, served multiple years in prison, and was permanently removed from public ministry. The case involved abuse of an altar boy during his tenure as a parish pastor in the late 1980s, with later reports describing additional alleged abuse of boys in earlier decades.

• Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Marquette and Michigan Attorney General’s Office
• Reason for Listing: Permanently removed from public ministry following substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor, criminal conviction, and subsequent canonical restrictions consistent with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1952

Years in Active Ministry: 1952–1990

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Marquette (MI)

Restrictions: Permanently removed from public ministry; barred from public celebration of sacraments; prohibited from presenting himself as clergy; no contact with minors; subject to canonical precepts, including travel restrictions and supervision requirements

Criminal Convictions: 1991 felony convictions in Michigan for criminal sexual conduct involving a minor

Second Set of Charges: Charged in multiple Michigan counties for abuse of the same victim; one county’s charges were dismissed as part of a global plea resolution

Laicization: Not laicized; the Vatican declined dismissal from the clerical state and instead imposed ongoing canonical restrictions

Release from Prison: Released on parole in 1995 after serving approximately six and a half years

Died: 2014

Public Disclosure: Listed by the Diocese of Marquette, included in the Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 investigative report

Assignment History

Primary Archdiocese: Diocese of Marquette

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• Various parish assignments within the Diocese of Marquette – MI (1952–1990)
• American Martyrs Parish – Kingsford, MI (served as pastor until removal in 1990)

Non-Church Assignments: Underwent residential assessment and treatment at St. Luke Institute following removal from ministry; later lived under supervision and canonical restrictions after release from prison.

Known Allegations

Public records, investigative files, and diocesan documentation indicate that allegations against Norbert Paul LaCosse span multiple decades and involve repeated claims of sexual misconduct with minor boys during his time in active ministry. 

The first allegation to trigger formal action emerged in July 1990, when a family reported that their son had been abused over several years in the late 1980s while LaCosse was serving as a parish priest in Kingsford, Michigan. According to investigative records, the alleged abuse occurred in private settings connected to parish life and escalated over time, leading Church officials to remove LaCosse from ministry and notify civil authorities. 

The resulting criminal investigation included a recorded encounter in which LaCosse reportedly acknowledged the misconduct and indicated that other victims existed, a factor that influenced both prosecutorial decisions and diocesan response.

Following his conviction and imprisonment, additional individuals came forward in the early 2000s describing alleged abuse dating back to the 1950s and early 1960s, when they were teenagers and had access to LaCosse through parish involvement, youth groups, or overnight trips. 

These later allegations described a consistent pattern of grooming and exploitation of authority, even though criminal prosecution was no longer possible due to the passage of time. 

Diocese of Marquette review boards assessed the credibility of these historical claims and determined they were neither manifestly false nor frivolous, prompting further canonical restrictions and formal notification to Vatican authorities.

Summary: Allegations against Fr. Norbert Paul LaCosse describe sexual abuse of minor boys from, first formally reported in 1990 during his parish ministry and culminating in criminal charges, felony convictions, prison time, and permanent removal from ministry.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods

• Bishop Mark F. Schmitt – Diocese of Marquette
• Bishop James H. Garland – Diocese of Marquette
• Bishop Alexander K. Sample – Diocese of Marquette
• Bishop John F. Doerfler – Diocese of Marquette

Institutional Actions and Review

Church authorities within the Diocese of Marquette were formally notified in July 1990 after a family reported sexual abuse involving Fr. Norbert Paul LaCosse, prompting an immediate diocesan response. 

Within twenty-four hours, the bishop placed LaCosse on administrative leave, directed him to vacate the rectory, barred him from public ministry, and reported the allegation to civil authorities, after which the Diocese cooperated with law enforcement. 

As the criminal case proceeded, LaCosse was not reassigned and instead underwent assessment and treatment, followed by incarceration after conviction. In the years after his release, the Diocese imposed written canonical restrictions that removed all faculties, prohibited public identification as a priest, limited travel, and restricted contact with minors. 

Beginning in the early 2000s, additional historical allegations were received and reviewed by diocesan authorities, who determined they were not manifestly false or frivolous, leading to Vatican notification and further penal precepts. 

LaCosse’s inclusion on the list of credibly accused Michigan clergy, and later investigative reports, reflect a progression from initial internal action to broader transparency following review and conviction.

Timeline

1952 — Ordained as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Marquette

1952–1990 — Served in parish ministry within the Diocese of Marquette

Late 1980s (1987–1990) — Alleged abuse of a minor occurred during parish ministry in Kingsford, Michigan

July 1990 — Removed from public ministry by the Diocese of Marquette

December 1990 — Criminal charges filed in multiple Michigan counties

1991 — Convicted of felony criminal sexual conduct involving a minor and sentenced to prison

1995 — Released from prison; placed under permanent canonical restrictions

July 2014 — Died

2022 — Included in the Michigan Attorney General’s investigative report

Speak With an Attorney

If you experienced sexual abuse involving Norbert Paul LaCosse or another priest in Michigan, you may have grounds to explore civil accountability. Injury Lawyer Team represents clergy abuse survivors statewide, with a focus on long-term justice and institutional responsibility.

Schedule a confidential call with a Michigan clergy abuse attorney to speak openly, ask questions, and understand your legal options.

Sources and Public Records

This page is grounded in public records, official Church disclosures, court-related reporting, and compiled investigative materials, including the following sources:

• The Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 investigative report into the Diocese of Marquette, which documents allegations against Fr. Norbert Paul LaCosse, outlines the Diocese’s internal handling of complaints, and confirms his criminal conviction and imprisonment.
• An accused-cleric profile maintained by BishopAccountability.org, which aggregates diocesan records, contemporaneous reporting, criminal case outcomes, and settlement information related to LaCosse’s conduct and status.
• The Diocese of Marquette’s official Status Report on Clerics Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors, which publicly lists LaCosse among priests permanently removed from public ministry.
• Contemporaneous reporting, which details the filing of criminal charges against LaCosse across multiple Michigan counties and confirms his removal from parish leadership during the investigation.

No criminal conviction is stated unless it is expressly supported by court proceedings, plea records, or official investigative reports, and all allegations are described in accordance with the language and findings of the cited sources.

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.