Profile Facts
- Name
- Mark McQuesten
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1987
- Status
- Accused
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Father Mark McQuesten of the Diocese of Marquette was named as accused in the Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 report, though a diocesan review board deemed the allegation not credible. White Law PLLC’s clergy sexual abuse lawyers present the public record here so survivors can judge it for themselves.
McQuesten denied the allegation, and as of 2022 he was a retired priest in active ministry. Survivors considering their options deserve a clear-eyed view of both what was alleged and how the church responded.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
The Diocese of Marquette covers Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and is one of seven dioceses in the state, along with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Gaylord, and Kalamazoo. The Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation, opened in 2018, released its Marquette findings in October 2022.
That report named Father McQuesten as accused. A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can discuss what the report establishes and what it leaves unresolved for a potential civil case.
The Allegations Against Father Mark McQuesten
The 1986 Allegation
According to published records, the diocese received a report in January 2018 from a man who said McQuesten had touched him inappropriately in 1986 during a trip to Florida. McQuesten was a seminarian at the time, and the man was a teenager. McQuesten denied the allegation.
Review Board Finding
The diocesan Review Board determined that the allegation was not credible. In October 2022, McQuesten was described as a retired priest in active ministry. He was ordained in 1987.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
No criminal charges have been reported in connection with the allegation against Father McQuesten, who remains living. Whether prosecution could be pursued would depend on evidence and timing that the public record does not fully disclose.
Civil litigation is evaluated on its own terms. A survivor with personal knowledge of abuse is not bound by a diocesan review board’s internal credibility finding, which is not a court judgment, and may still consult counsel about a lawsuit.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under Michigan Legislature §600.5805, civil sexual abuse claims are generally due within ten years of the conduct or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. First-degree criminal sexual conduct carries no statute of limitations in Michigan.
An alleged incident from 1986 presents significant timing questions, but survivors should not decide the issue alone. Legal doctrines around delayed discovery can matter, and only a lawyer’s review can sort out what applies.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
To speak confidentially with White Law PLLC, call (517) 316-1195. Consultations are free, and our office is at .
We will give you an honest evaluation of your situation, including a frank discussion of the challenges a case like this can face.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.