Abuse is alleged, priest is restricted

The Rev. James Wysocki is now on temporary administrative leave as pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Marine City and administrator of St. Mark Catholic Church on Harsens Island.

"This is a temporary restriction until there can be a final resolution on it," archdiocesan spokesman Ned McGrath said Sunday.

Wysocki could not be reached for comment Sunday.

The allegations say the alleged abuse happened during the years just after Wysocki's 1967 ordination, which he spent ministering at various metro area parishes and serving as chaplain and counselor at Pontiac Catholic High School.

McGrath said the archdiocese received the complaint several years ago but decided there was not enough information to pursue it.

Then in the wake of last year's clergy sex abuse scandal, the Archdiocesan Review Board returned to the complaint and deemed it substantial enough to remove Wysocki while it investigates further.

McGrath said civil authorities have also reviewed the case and decided it is too old for their involvement.

In 2002, the archdiocese removed 15 priests from active ministry because of allegations of sexual abuse involving minors. Four men who served as priests in the Detroit area have been convicted or have entered plea agreements to serve jail time after being charged in August with decades-old complaints of abusing minors.

The archdiocese operates a victim's assistance hot line at 866-343-8055.