Profile Facts
- Name
- Casimir Adasiewicz
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1931
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 4/13/1981
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
White Law PLLC’s clergy sexual abuse lawyers have assembled this profile of Father Casimir Adasiewicz, a priest of the Diocese of Marquette ordained in 1931 and accused of raping a seven-year-old girl in the mid-1960s. He died in 1981, but the allegations against him surfaced publicly through the Michigan Attorney General’s investigation.
This page exists so survivors know they are not alone and understand that legal options may still be open. Read on for the reported details of the abuse, the diocese’s history, and how Michigan law treats claims involving priests who have died.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
Michigan is home to seven Catholic dioceses: the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw. The Marquette diocese covers the entire Upper Peninsula. In 2018, Michigan’s Attorney General began investigating clergy abuse statewide, and the resulting reports documented allegations in every diocese, including Marquette. Our work as a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer draws directly on those official findings.
For survivors in the Upper Peninsula, coming forward can feel especially isolating in small, tight-knit parish communities. An attorney who understands these cases can pursue accountability discreetly and explain every step before anything is filed.
The Allegations Against Father Casimir Adasiewicz
Where He Served
According to published records, Adasiewicz was ordained in 1931 and served in the Diocese of Marquette. The reported abuse took place at Sacred Heart parish in L’Anse, Michigan, around 1965. He died on April 13, 1981.
What Survivors Reported
Per the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 report, the diocese received a report in 2008 that Adasiewicz molested and raped a girl, age seven, at Sacred Heart in L’Anse. The priest allegedly warned her that if she told anyone, her brother would die. His accuser said she believed Adasiewicz abused many other children as well. Because the priest died in 1981, criminal charges can no longer be brought, but civil claims against the diocese may still be possible.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal prosecutions are filed by the government and aim to punish the offender with imprisonment. Civil lawsuits are brought by survivors themselves and aim to compensate them for medical costs, lost earning capacity, and the profound personal harm they endured.
Since Father Adasiewicz died in 1981, he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against. Survivors should know, however, that a civil case targets different defendants, often the diocese or parish that enabled the abuse, and may proceed regardless of the priest’s death.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 generally gives survivors ten years, or until age 28, whichever comes later, to bring a civil sexual abuse claim. There is no statute of limitations for first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan.
Survivors frequently wait decades before speaking out, as trauma and threats like the one allegedly made by Adasiewicz can silence a child well into adulthood. A lawyer can review the timeline of your case and tell you honestly whether a claim can still be filed.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Institutional defendants can be held liable when they knew, or should have known, that a priest posed a danger yet failed to protect children, ignored warning signs, or quietly moved the priest to a new parish. Recoverable damages in these cases may include therapy and medical bills, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Call White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195 for a free, confidential consultation. We handle clergy abuse cases on contingency, so you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.