Profile Facts
- Name
- Edward J. Kubiak
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids
- Ordained
- 1934
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 2/4/2003
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Survivors of clergy abuse deserve attorneys who will listen without judgment and fight without hesitation. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC represent Michigan survivors seeking justice against priests and the dioceses that failed to stop them.
This page summarizes the accusations against Father Edward J. Kubiak, a priest of the Diocese of Grand Rapids who died in 2003. According to published records, he was publicly named as accused in the Michigan Attorney General’s December 2025 report on the Grand Rapids diocese. Because Father Kubiak is deceased, no criminal case can be brought, but Michigan survivors may still have civil options.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses, together with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Saginaw, Marquette, Lansing, Gaylord, and Kalamazoo. The Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation, launched in 2018, culminated in diocesan reports that reached back decades, including the Grand Rapids report’s account of abuse alleged against Father Kubiak in the 1960s. A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can assess whether a civil claim remains viable so many years later.
Kubiak was pastor of Guardian Angels in Manistee when the reported abuse occurred. The report describes a diocesan investigation that ended with no further action, a pattern survivors’ advocates say repeated across Michigan dioceses.
The Allegations Against Father Edward J. Kubiak
Ministry History
Published records indicate that Edward J. Kubiak was ordained in 1934 for the Diocese of Grand Rapids and was assigned from 1938 to 1946 to the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin. He died on February 4, 2003.
What the Attorney General’s Report Describes
According to the Michigan Attorney General’s December 2025 Diocese of Grand Rapids report, a woman told the diocese in 1998 that Kubiak and another priest ‘did stuff’ to her son when he was a child, about 35 years earlier, at Guardian Angels in Manistee, where Kubiak was pastor. The alleged victim told the diocese in 1999 that he was sexually abused at the church from 1965 to 1967, when he was ages 10 to 12. He said Kubiak abused him about twice a week, describing being made to sit blindfolded in a chair with his wrists tied while the other priest observed. Kubiak denied the abuse and said that several problem priests had been assigned there. The diocese investigated and decided to take no further action. The accuser had reported the allegations to law enforcement 8 to 10 years earlier, which determined the allegations to be unfounded, for reasons that remain unclear.
These are accusations. Still, the report’s detailed account of how the diocese handled the complaint can be important evidence in a civil case against the institution.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Clergy abuse can lead to two kinds of legal proceedings with different goals. A criminal prosecution is filed by the state, must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and seeks to punish the offender. A civil lawsuit is filed by the survivor, must prove the claim by a preponderance of the evidence, and seeks compensation. Only the civil path remains available here.
Criminal Cases
Criminal cases are controlled by prosecutors and cannot proceed against a deceased person. They punish offenders but do not compensate survivors.
Civil Lawsuits
Civil lawsuits let survivors pursue damages from the abuser’s estate and from the diocese. Where a diocese investigated a complaint and took no further action, or where law enforcement earlier declined to act, a civil case can still examine the institution’s failures under a lower burden of proof.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 generally requires civil sexual abuse claims to be filed within ten years of the abuse or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. There is no time limit for first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges under Michigan law.
For abuse alleged in the 1960s, survivors often did not disclose until decades later, if at all. Childhood shame, fear, and trauma-related memory loss are well-documented reasons for delay. Whether any legal avenue remains depends on the specific facts, and an attorney can provide an honest assessment.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Survivors who bring civil claims may seek damages for medical and therapy costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Claims may name the abuser’s estate and the diocese or religious institution where officials knew or should have known of the abuse, failed to prevent it, covered it up, or failed to properly screen, train, and supervise clergy.
If Father Kubiak abused you or a loved one, White Law PLLC welcomes a confidential conversation about your options. Call (517) 316-1195.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.