OnePeterFive has received word that the Michigan Attorney General executed search warrants at the Archdiocese of Detroit Chancery and Sacred Heart Major Seminary this morning. The search appears to be related to the investigation into the Church’s handling of clerical abuse opened by the Attorney General’s office in August.
Sacred Heart seminary’s Vice Rector, Fr. Stephen Burr, issued an internal memorandum about put out an internal note about the actions of law enforcement this morning (see below). Burr describes the actions taken as “a normal part of these types of investigations”, but one person with knowledge of this morning’s events described the presence of law enforcement this morning as “unexpected”.
The email from Vice Rector Fr. Stephen Burr follows:
Dear Seminary Community,
I wanted to inform you about some activity in the diocese earlier today. Around 9 a.m. this morning, several law enforcement officials entered the Chancery and executed a search warrant, as part of the Attorney General investigation which was announced previously. A search of buildings and files is a normal part of these types of investigations. The Archdiocese of Detroit is fully cooperating with authorities. The officials arrived at Sacred Heart Major Seminary around 10:45 a.m. to gather additional records at the diocese Archives on the seminary property, and will later go to the St. Joan of Arc office of Monsignor Michael Bugarin, the Archbishop’s Delegate for Clergy Misconduct.
As always, please be assured of my prayers.
Blessings.
