Bishop James S. Sullivan

Ordained: 1955
Status: Accused

Died: 06/12/2006
Diocese: Diocese of Lansing MI

Auxiliary bishop of Lansing 1972-1985. Bishop of Fargo 1985 until his resignation 3/18/2002 due to Alzheimer’s Disease. Accused in 6/2002 of fondling a boy in 1966 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Lansing MI. The same plaintiff settled with the Christian Brothers in 1995 over abuse allegations against Br. Jeffrey Gregory. Sullivan denied the charges. The Diocese said it did not believe the allegations because the man didn’t come forward sooner. Sullivan died 6/12/2006. On 7/2/2021 the Diocese of Lansing announced that it had deemed credible allegations against Sullivan that he sexually abused two altar boys, one ages 12-14 and the other ages 11- 12, in the mid-1960s. The abuse took place at Church of the Resurrection in Lansing, where Sullivan was assigned. One of the victims said that Sullivan had sexually abused at least 10 other altar boys. Included in the MI Attorney General’s 12/16/2024 Diocese of Lansing Report.

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