Profile Facts
- Name
- Robert Onofrey
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lansing
- Order
- CPPS
- Ordained
- 1963
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 4/28/2009
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
It takes extraordinary strength to speak out about abuse by a priest. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC honor that strength by fighting tirelessly for Michigan survivors, protecting their privacy every step of the way.
Father Robert Onofrey was a Missionary of the Precious Blood (CPPS) ordained in 1963 who served in the Diocese of Lansing. The Michigan Attorney General’s 2024 Lansing report documented an allegation that he sexually abused a teenage boy during a camping trip in the 1970s. What follows is a summary of the reported facts and the legal options Michigan provides.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Lansing
The Diocese of Lansing is one of Michigan’s seven Catholic dioceses, along with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Dioceses of Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Kalamazoo, Gaylord, and Marquette. The statewide clergy-abuse investigation launched by the Michigan Attorney General in 2018 produced a detailed Lansing report in December 2024, documenting allegations that had remained hidden for decades.
A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can use findings from the Attorney General’s diocesan reports to support a survivor’s civil lawsuit, even when the reported abuse occurred fifty years ago.
The Allegations Against Father Robert Onofrey
The 1974 Camping Trip
According to the Michigan Attorney General’s December 16, 2024 Diocese of Lansing Report, as summarized by published diocesan records, a man told the diocese in May 2002 that Onofrey had sexually abused him at age 16 or 17 in 1974 during a camping trip out west. The man said that one night the two drank beer and he fell asleep; a few hours later he awoke to find Onofrey performing fellatio on him. He said he told Onofrey to stop, and the priest did.
Concerns About Other Victims
The alleged victim told the diocese he worried that Onofrey may have sexually abused other boys as well. Onofrey died in 2009, so he can no longer face criminal charges, but survivors may still bring civil claims against his estate, his religious order, or the diocese that supervised him.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
A criminal prosecution seeks to punish the abuser with jail or prison, while a civil lawsuit seeks to make the survivor whole through financial compensation. The civil case is the survivor’s own case, filed on their behalf, and it does not hinge on whether criminal charges were filed or proved.
Institutions can be held civilly responsible too. When a diocese or religious order knew or should have known about a priest’s misconduct and failed to prevent it, covered it up, or neglected proper screening and training, Michigan law may hold that institution liable.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
MCL §600.5805 allows Michigan survivors to file a civil sexual abuse lawsuit within ten years, or until age 28, whichever provides more time. First-degree criminal sexual conduct has no limitations period. These generous timeframes exist because trauma and memory loss so often keep survivors from reporting until long after the abuse.
Still, the precise deadline turns on the details of each situation, so consulting an attorney promptly is the safest course.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Survivors of clergy abuse may recover damages for the full scope of their suffering, including medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Beyond compensation, a lawsuit can compel the church to confront the failures that put children at risk. White Law PLLC will stand with you through all of it.
Call (517) 316-1195 for a confidential discussion of your case. We represent survivors across Michigan.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.