Profile Facts
- Name
- Gino S. Ferraro
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1930
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 7/27/1976
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Father Gino S. Ferraro died in 1976, yet the allegations against him did not surface until decades later. In 2008, a woman told the Diocese of Marquette that Ferraro had molested her from ages 8 to 17, and that others had been molested too. She said three different priests dismissed her when she tried to report. Our clergy sexual abuse lawyers built this page to preserve the sourced record on Ferraro, who was ordained in 1930 and named in the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 report.
Ferraro died on July 27, 1976, so criminal charges against him are impossible. Below, we explain what was reported and how Michigan civil law may still hold the diocese accountable.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is served by the Diocese of Marquette, one of the state’s seven dioceses along with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Saginaw. The Attorney General’s 2018 investigation into clergy abuse produced an October 2022 report on Marquette that named Ferraro among the accused. White Law PLLC represents survivors statewide as a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer.
The Ferraro account is striking for how many times the survivor’s reports were brushed aside. If you were abused in the Marquette diocese, records from the investigation may validate what you were once told could not have happened.
The Allegations Against Father Gino S. Ferraro
Where He Served
Published records indicate that Ferraro began his priesthood in the Diocese of Rockford in 1930, then served in Milwaukee as a priest of the Pious Society of the Missionaries of St. Charles. He appears to have joined the Diocese of Marquette in 1938. He died on July 27, 1976.
What Survivors Reported
Per the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 report, a woman told the diocese in 2008 that Ferraro molested her when she was ages 8 to 17, and that others were molested as well. She said she first told Rev. Raymond Hoefgan, who responded that “Fr. Gino would never have done that.” A second priest told her “that couldn’t have happened,” and a third said there was nothing in Ferraro’s file to support her claim. The case went before the Diocesan Review Board in 2008; the bishop offered the woman an apology and counseling. Ferraro died in 1976, so he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against him, but a civil claim against the diocese may still be possible.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal prosecution belongs to the state and can result in imprisonment for the offender. A civil lawsuit belongs to the survivor and pursues monetary compensation for the harm caused. The civil path remains open even when the criminal path is closed.
Ferraro died in 1976, so he is no longer alive for anyone to pursue criminal charges against him. Survivors may nevertheless bring a civil claim against the Diocese of Marquette.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under Michigan Legislature §600.5805, a civil sexual abuse claim is generally timely if filed within ten years or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. Michigan places no time limit on first-degree criminal sexual conduct prosecutions.
Being disbelieved, as this survivor was, three times, is itself a reason many survivors wait decades to come forward. A lawyer can assess whether the law still gives you a remedy.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
A diocese that receives abuse reports and responds with denial rather than protection may face civil liability, especially if it knew or should have known of the danger. Damages available to survivors can include medical and therapy costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
Call White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe nothing unless we win.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.