Profile Facts
- Name
- Lawrence T. Fares
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Ordained
- 1950
- Status
- Accused
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
In January 2021, at the age of 96, Father Lawrence T. Fares was removed from ministry after the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Board of Review deemed credible allegations of child sexual abuse dating to early in his priesthood. The archdiocese had learned of the allegations, already reported to police, in July 2019. Our clergy sexual abuse lawyers assembled this page to give Michigan survivors the sourced facts on Fares, a Lebanon-born priest ordained in Rome in 1950 who served Detroit for decades.
Fares is believed to be living. The sections below describe where he served, what has been reported, and how Michigan law treats cases in which allegations surface so many years later.
Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit
Michigan is home to seven Catholic dioceses: the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw. The Michigan Attorney General’s 2018 investigation into clergy sexual abuse reached into all of them, with later reports documenting how allegations were received, and sometimes shelved. As a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer, White Law PLLC uses those public findings to support survivors’ claims.
The Fares matter shows that credible allegations can surface even when a priest is long retired. Survivors abused in Detroit-area parishes should know that the passage of time alone does not decide their case, a lawyer can assess what options remain.
The Allegations Against Father Lawrence T. Fares
Where He Served
Published records indicate that Fares was born in Kobayath, Akkar, Lebanon, and ordained in Rome in 1950. He arrived in the United States in 1969, began working in the Detroit archdiocese, and was incardinated there in 1977. He retired in 1997 and was removed from ministry in January 2021.
What Survivors Reported
According to published accounts, the Archdiocese of Detroit was informed in July 2019 of allegations of child sexual abuse against Fares dating to early in his priesthood; the allegations had also been reported to police. In January 2021, the Archdiocese Board of Review deemed the allegations credible, removed Fares from ministry, and added him to the archdiocese’s public list of accused clergy. Fares is believed to be living, so both criminal and civil avenues may still be open, subject to Michigan’s deadlines.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Criminal cases and civil cases answer different questions. The state prosecutes a criminal case to punish wrongdoing, potentially with imprisonment. The survivor files a civil case to obtain financial recovery for the harm suffered. Neither depends on the other.
Because Fares is believed to be alive, criminal prosecution may remain possible alongside a civil lawsuit. Our attorneys can evaluate the evidence and timing for each.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan Legislature §600.5805 generally allows ten years, or until the survivor turns 28, whichever is later, to file a civil sexual abuse claim. First-degree criminal sexual conduct has no statute of limitations in Michigan.
Decades often pass before survivors can report, as trauma and buried memories make disclosure extraordinarily difficult. Do not decide on your own that too much time has passed; let a lawyer review your timeline.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
A survivor may have claims against the priest and against the archdiocese, particularly if officials received reports, failed to act, or left him in ministry around children. Compensation can include medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
White Law PLLC welcomes your call at (517) 316-1195; we are located at . Consultations are free and confidential, with no fee unless we win.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.