Profile Facts
- Name
- Elmer Stoffel
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saginaw
- Order
- OFM Cap
- Ordained
- 1938
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 12/2/1992
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
White Law PLLC, a firm of clergy sexual abuse lawyers, represents Michigan survivors abused by Father Elmer Stoffel. What follows is the public record of the accusations against him.
Below, we summarize Father Stoffel’s assignments, the reported abuse, and the legal options Michigan survivors still have. Because he died on 12/2/1992, criminal prosecution of him is no longer possible. Survivors may still bring a civil claim, and White Law PLLC can evaluate the options.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Saginaw
The accusations against Father Elmer Stoffel arose within the Diocese of Saginaw, one of seven dioceses statewide. Those seven dioceses, Detroit, Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, Saginaw, have each faced scrutiny over their handling of abuse reports, including reports like those against Father Stoffel.
Michigan’s Attorney General began investigating clergy sexual abuse in 2018, a probe that reached into each of the seven dioceses and helped expose patterns like those in Father Stoffel’s record. Patterns of abuse and institutional cover-ups emerged from that review, and a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help survivors of Father Stoffel understand whether the Diocese of Saginaw failed in its duties.
The Allegations Against Father Elmer Stoffel
Where He Served
Father Elmer Stoffel, a Capuchin Franciscan friar ordained in 1938, was assigned in the Diocese of Saginaw from 1958 to 1970. He died on December 2, 1992.
What the Record Shows
Published records indicate that Stoffel was named publicly as accused on the Diocese of Saginaw’s list in 2019. He is also included on the Capuchin St. Joseph Province’s list of those with substantiated allegations against them.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Abuse by a member of the clergy can trigger two separate legal processes, a criminal case and a civil lawsuit, and both may matter to survivors of Father Stoffel. One process punishes the wrongdoer, the other compensates the person who was harmed, and a survivor of Father Stoffel can pursue the civil path regardless of what prosecutors decide.
Criminal Prosecution
Because the burden of proof is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt,’ criminal cases are difficult, and in matters involving Father Stoffel, as in all such cases, they are controlled by prosecutors, not the survivor.
Civil Claims for Damages
Civil cases put the survivor in charge: those harmed by Father Stoffel decide whether to file, and a successful claim yields compensation rather than a prison sentence.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under Michigan Compiled Laws §600.5805, civil claims for childhood sexual abuse are generally subject to a ten-year limitations period, running until the survivor turns 28, the rule that governs claims against Father Stoffel.
First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries no limitations period in Michigan. And because many survivors of Father Stoffel may need decades to confront what happened, a lawyer should review the deadlines rather than the survivor guessing.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Accountability does not stop with the individual cleric. If the Diocese of Saginaw was aware, or should have been aware, of Father Stoffel’s behavior and failed to prevent it, covered up complaints, or neglected proper screening and supervision, the institution itself can be sued.
A successful claim against Father Stoffel can provide for medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Contact White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.