Profile Facts
- Name
- Theophilus Palukaitis / Theo Palis
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Grand Rapids
- Ordained
- 1945
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 2/7/2013
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Abuse by a priest can shatter a survivor’s faith and sense of safety. The clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC help Michigan survivors rebuild by demanding accountability and compensation, all while safeguarding your confidentiality.
Father Theophilus Palukaitis, who later changed his name to Father Theo Palis, was ordained in Germany in 1945 and briefly served in the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 1951. The Michigan Attorney General’s December 2025 Grand Rapids report named him as accused. This page recounts the reported facts and explains Michigan survivors’ legal rights.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Grand Rapids
West Michigan’s Diocese of Grand Rapids is one of seven Catholic dioceses in the state, together with the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Dioceses of Saginaw, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Gaylord, and Marquette. The Michigan Attorney General’s statewide clergy-abuse investigation, launched in 2018, issued its Grand Rapids report in December 2025, documenting allegations stretching back decades.
A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can evaluate how the Attorney General’s findings apply to your situation and whether a civil claim is viable, even when the priest later moved far from Michigan.
The Allegations Against Father Theophilus Palukaitis
A Ministry Across the Country
According to published records, Palukaitis was from Lithuania, ordained in Germany in 1945, and arrived in the United States from a concentration camp after World War II. He spent the summer of 1951 in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, then served in the Archdiocese of Portland, the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the Diocese of Oakland. After changing his name to Father Theo Palis, he spent 31 years as pastor of Our Lady Queen of the World in Bay Point, California, retiring in 2006. He died in Oakland in 2013.
The 1995 Report
Palukaitis was named publicly as accused in the Michigan Attorney General’s December 15, 2025 report. In 1995, a woman reported to the Grand Rapids diocese that Palukaitis had molested her when she was 8 years old during the summer of 1951. She said she told her mother, who called her a liar, and that later in life her mother told her that numerous girls had been molested by this man but the parents kept it quiet. Because Palukaitis died in 2013, criminal prosecution is impossible, but civil claims against his estate or the dioceses where he served may still be available.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Survivors should understand the difference between the two court systems. Criminal courts punish offenders on the state’s behalf, with prison as a possible sentence. Civil courts compensate survivors, awarding damages for medical expenses, suffering, and emotional harm. A civil case moves forward on its own, regardless of any criminal outcome.
Liability can extend to the church institutions that enabled the abuse. When diocesan officials knew or should have known a priest was dangerous and failed to prevent the harm, concealed complaints, or neglected screening and training, Michigan law may hold them accountable.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Michigan gives survivors of sexual abuse a civil filing period of ten years, or until age 28, whichever is later, under MCL §600.5805. First-degree criminal sexual conduct charges have no deadline at all. The extended civil timeframe exists because survivors so often need years to overcome trauma and suppressed memories before reporting.
Deadlines still depend on individual circumstances, so prompt legal counsel offers the strongest protection for your claim.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
If you were harmed by Father Palukaitis, known as Father Theo Palis, or by any other member of the clergy, you may have the right to compensation for medical and therapy costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. White Law PLLC has the experience and determination to take on dioceses and religious institutions on survivors’ behalf.
Call (517) 316-1195 for a confidential consultation. Your voice deserves to be heard.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.