In his previous role in Michigan, Birmingham’s Catholic bishop once ruled a sexual abuse allegation against a priest was “unsubstantiated” — a case that was later found to be credible and that the church settled, according to a new report.
Steven J. Raica, the bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham, was named in a new report by the Michigan Attorney General this week for his role at the Diocese of Lansing. The Michigan report reviewed church and tipline reports and investigated claims of clergy abuse.
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Raica was a priest in the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan for nearly four decades until 2014, and then became Bishop of Gaylord before he moved to Alabama in 2020. He received multiple reports of at least 17 other priests abusing mostly children while at the Diocese of Lansing — most of which happened years earlier – according to the report.
The report does not accuse Raica of abusing anyone, but describes his role in investigating and receiving reports of abuse against other priests.
“Later, the John Doe 110 allegation was found to be credible and was settled,” the Michigan Attorney General’s report reads.
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