Reverend Raymond John Pilarski: Clergy Sexual Predator Profile

Father Raymond John Pilarski was born in Rogers City, Michigan, on January 18, 1928. The Diocese of Saginaw ordained him as a priest on June 4, 1955, and he began working in various Michigan parishes. 

Early in his ministry, he served as an associate pastor at the following churches:

• St. Catherine Parish, Ossineke (1955-1955).
• St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Bay City (1955-1960).

In 1960, he became a full pastor and served these congregations:

• St. Michael Parish, Wilmot (1960-1968).
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, East Tawas (1968-1973).
• St. Mary, Alpena (1970s).
• St. Augustine, Hillman (dates unknown).
• Jesus the Good Shepherd, Atlanta (1983 to unknown).

Father Pilarski also completed various other church assignments in Cheboygan County and Hillman, Michigan. The Diocese of Gaylord incardinated him when it was established on July 21, 1971. He retired in 1998.

The Vatican permanently removed him from ministry in 2007 when two women claimed Father Pilarski sexually assaulted them in the 1970s during his assignment to St. Mary in Alpena. At the time, the girls were 13 and 22 years old. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations had already expired, prohibiting the Alpena County Prosecutor from filing criminal charges.

Father Pilarksi died in Petoskey, Michigan, on October 17, 2017, at age 89. 

The Gaylord Diocese identified him on a list of “credibly accused” sexual offenders in November 2018. By April 2019, the Saginaw Diocese followed suit.

At Sommers Schwartz, we’re committed to stopping sexual predators like Father Pilarski. Our firm has successfully prosecuted high-profile offenders such as Dr. Larry Nassar—Michigan State University and USAG team physician—and Dr. Robert Anderson, who sexually abused students, athletes, and other patients for over thirty-five years at the University of Michigan. And we want to help you, too. If you’re a survivor of ecclesiastical sexual abuse, contact personal injury attorneys Lisa Esser-Weidenfeller, Matthew Curtis, or Jay Yasso for a free consultation, and let Sommers Schwartz pursue your case with the compassion, empathy, and sensitivity your story deserves.