Profile Facts
- Name
- Gary Schulte
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Ordained
- 1972
- Status
- Accused
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
White Law PLLC’s clergy sexual abuse lawyers represent survivors of abuse by Father Gary Schulte across Michigan. Below is a summary of the public record on the allegations against him.
Read on for a summary of Father Schulte’s assignments, the reports made against him, and the paths to justice under Michigan law. Because he is not reported to have died, both criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit may still be available to survivors.
Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit
The Archdiocese of Detroit, where Father Gary Schulte served, is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses. 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 Schulte.
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 Schulte’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 Schulte understand whether the Archdiocese of Detroit failed in its duties.
The Allegations Against Father Gary Schulte
Where He Served
Father Gary Schulte, ordained in 1972, served in the Archdiocese of Detroit. At the time of the alleged abuse he was assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Madison Heights.
What Survivors Reported
Published records indicate that on October 29, 2011, Schulte was removed without privileges from St. Sylvester Parish in Warren after allegations surfaced that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old boy in 1991. The archdiocese’s review board concluded the allegations had enough validity to warrant restrictions on his ministry. No criminal charges were filed because the statute of limitations had expired. Schulte was placed on the archdiocese’s list of credibly accused clergy on June 10, 2019, and has been permanently removed from public ministry.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Survivors of Father Schulte should know that criminal and civil cases are independent of each other. One process punishes the wrongdoer, the other compensates the person who was harmed, and a survivor of Father Schulte 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 Schulte, 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 Schulte 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
The civil statute of limitations in Michigan (MCL §600.5805) generally allows ten years from the abuse, or until the survivor’s 28th birthday, to bring a claim against Father Schulte.
First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries no limitations period in Michigan. And because many survivors of Father Schulte 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 Archdiocese of Detroit was aware, or should have been aware, of Father Schulte’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 Schulte 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.