KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Decades of hidden abuse and institutional neglect were brought to light on May 22 as Attorney General Dana Nessel released a comprehensive report on clergy sexual abuse within the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
The report, the third in a series of seven, names 19 priests accused of various forms of sexual misconduct since the diocese’s founding in 1971. Twelve of these priests were directly associated with the Kalamazoo Diocese, while the rest were from other dioceses or religious orders.
Significantly, the report highlights two priests who have already faced legal consequences. Fr. Brian Stanley was sentenced in 2020 for an incident in 2013 where he bound and imprisoned a teenage boy. Msgr. Jacob Vellian, a visiting priest from India, faced charges for abusing a teenage girl in the early 1970s but reportedly died before he could be extradited.
Compiled from 65 tips and over 345,000 documents, the report details allegations involving 12 priests with minors, five with adults, and two with both.
“We hope this report amplifies the voices of those who have suffered in silence for too long and casts light on those who have dodged true accountability,” Nessel said.
Bishop Edward Lohse of Kalamazoo, facing the grim task of addressing these revelations, acknowledged the painful truth at a news conference on May 22. “It is tragic, appalling, and inexcusable,” Lohse said. “No one knows this better than you who are the victim-survivors of that abuse. You were entrusted to our care, and we failed to protect you. There is no other way to put it. For that failure, I am deeply sorry.”
The investigation’s origins trace back to former AG Bill Schuette’s tenure in 2018, when simultaneous raids on Michigan’s dioceses unearthed 220 boxes of paper documents and a staggering 3.5 million electronic files. Nessel, inheriting this mammoth task, has since issued charges in 11 cases, nine of which ended in convictions. At least 38 victims have found some semblance of justice through these efforts.
While the majority of the alleged misconduct occurred before 2022, many cases were not prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, the death of the accused, or victims’ unwillingness to relive their trauma in court. Despite these challenges, the AG’s office remains committed to seeking justice.
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Nessel promised to deliver the remaining four reports by the end of her term in 2026. Following the earlier reports on Marquette and Gaylord, the upcoming reports will focus on the dioceses of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, and Detroit.
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