Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Robert Gordon Smith

Father Robert Gordon Smith was a Catholic priest who sexually abused many boys throughout his ministry career. The number of allegations eventually led to his removal from the ministry. However, he was not publicly named as a sexually abusive priest until decades after he died in 1980. 

• Primary Entity Name: Robert Gordon Smith
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Robert Gordon Smith, Fr. Robert, Fr. Smith, Robert Smith
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (1980)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Father Robert Gordon Smith, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Although Robert Gordon Smith passed away in 1980 and had been accused of sexual abuse multiple times, it took many years for the diocese to identify him publicly. The following entities have since named him as a credibly accused priest:

• The Diocese of Gaylord, MI, on November 10, 2018
• The Diocese of Saginaw, MI, on April 10, 2019

These entities identified Smith due to substantiated sexual abuse allegations that had been deemed credible. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1945 in the Diocese of Saginaw

Years in Active Ministry: 1945-1980 (roughly 35 years)

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Saginaw, Diocese of Gaylord

Restrictions: Removed from ministry in the Diocese of Saginaw

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: 2018 in the Diocese of Gaylord, 2019 in the Diocese of Saginaw

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1945-1948 – St. Joseph in Saginaw, MI

1948-1951 – St. Joseph in East Tawas, MI

1951-1952 – Our Lady of Lake Huron in Harbor Beach, MI

1952-1962 – St. Frances Cabrini in Vassar, MI, and St. Bernard Mission in Millington, MI

1962-1965 – St. Ignatius in Rogers City, MI

Pastor, St. Paul Parish, Onaway — began July 1965 (end date not publicly specified).

1971 – Moved to the Diocese of Gaylord when it was established

1980 – Died

Known Allegations

In an affidavit from 1957, one victim’s father outlined the sexual abuse his son experienced at the hands of Robert Gordon Smith. The affidavit stated that Smith took the man’s son and two other boys to a hotel. He allegedly slept in the same bed as the man’s son and reached down to loosen the boy’s pajamas and rub his genitals. 

In 1962, an anonymous letter claimed that an armed service member who was being arrested had his first sexual experience with Smith in 1958 or 1959, though the letter did not state the victim’s age or other specifics. 

In 2004, the Diocese of Saginaw also received reports of another abuse victim. The survivor stated that he was 10 years old when he helped Father Smith put up Christmas decorations at St. Paul in the mid-1960s. Smith proceeded to rub the victim’s genitals until the boy’s stepfather entered the room. When the boy told his stepfather, the man denied that priests would behave that way and beat the victim. The family forced the boy to become an altar server, and the abuse allegedly continued. 

On multiple occasions, Smith was accused of forcing oral sex, anal sex, and group sex on various victims with other adults involved. A fourth victim came forward in 2004, over 23 years after the perpetrator’s death. The diocese determined that his allegations were credible following an investigation. 

Summary: Beginning in the 1950s and continuing through much of his ministry career, Robert Gordon Smith was accused of sexually abusing numerous young boys while assigned to various parishes, though records indicate the only ramifications were a removal from ministry at an unknown date. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Bishop Stephen S. Woznicki (1950-1968)
• Bishop Francis F. Reh (1968-1980)
• Bishop Kenneth E. Untener (1980-2004)
• Bishop Robert J. Carlson (2005-2009)
• Bishop Joseph R. Cistone (2009-2018)

Institutional Actions and Review

As early as 1957, it appears that sexual abuse allegations were being brought forward against Father Robert Gordon Smith. Allegations also surfaced about incidents in the 1960s. Based on public records, institutional actions against Smith did not occur until he was removed from public ministry in the 1970s. 

In 1962, the Archdiocese of Chicago forwarded an anonymous letter to the Diocese of Saginaw. The letter contained an account from the arrest of a military service member, who claimed that he first had a sexual experience with Father Robert Gordon Smith in a Chicago hotel room. However, specifics about the incident and the victim’s age were unknown. 

It is also unclear when Smith was removed from public ministry. The public lists of accused priests in the Diocese of Saginaw simply state that Smith was deceased and had been previously removed from public ministry. Smith was included on a list from the Diocese of Gaylord in 2018. In 2019, the Diocese of Saginaw published a similar list of accused priests in Michigan that included Smith. 

Timeline

1945 – Ordained in the Diocese of Saginaw

1945-1971 – Assigned to various parishes and ministries in the Diocese of Saginaw

1957 – The date on the signed affidavit of one of Smith’s first victims, stating that three boys were sexually abused in hotel rooms

1962 – An anonymous letter details a military service member who had sexual experiences with Smith in a Chicago hotel room

1971 – Smith became a priest in the Diocese of Gaylord

1970s – Smith is supposedly removed from public ministry at some point

1980 – Smith died

2004 – More sexual abuse allegations are brought to the church and substantiated

2018 – Smith is named as a credibly accused priest by the Diocese of Gaylord

2019 – Smith is named as a credibly accused priest by the Diocese of Saginaw

Speak With an Attorney

Clergy sexual abuse is a major issue in the state of Michigan. Many victims have suffered for decades because of abusive church officials. If you suffered as a child or adult in this state, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side as you seek fair compensation for legal damages caused by your suffering. 

Our attorneys offer a free, confidential consultation so you can ask about your case in a safe environment. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

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

• A profile of Robert Gordon Smith on Bishop Accountability’s website
• A statement about Smith’s ministry assignments and removal from the Diocese of Saginaw
• A list of accused clergy from the Diocese of Saginaw
• A report from the Diocese of Gaylord on accusations against priests
• A history of bishops in the Diocese of Saginaw

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.