DETROIT (WWJ) - The Detroit Archdiocese has removed another priest from the ministry amid allegations of child sexual abuse.

The Archdiocese of Detroit said it recently received an allegation against Rev. Joseph (Jack) H. Baker involving sexual abuse of a minor, dating back to the early years of his ministry.



The allegation immediately was reported to the Office of the Michigan Attorney General, the Archdiocese said, and Baker has since been restricted from all public ministry pending the outcome of the canonical process.

Baker was pastor at St. Hugo of the Hills in Bloomfield Hills in the 90s, has worked at churches in Dearborn, Inkster and Waterford; and since 2008 has been in Wayne.

The details of his assignment history are as follows:

1993-1996: Associate Pastor, St. Hugo of the Hills Parish, Bloomfield Hills

Associate Pastor, St. Hugo of the Hills Parish, Bloomfield Hills 1996-1997: Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn

Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn 1996-1997: Campus Minister, Wayne State Medical School Campus Ministry, Detroit

Campus Minister, Wayne State Medical School Campus Ministry, Detroit 1997-2008: Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Wayne

Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Wayne 2003-2004: Administrator, Ss. Kevin and Norbert Parish, Inkster

Administrator, Ss. Kevin and Norbert Parish, Inkster 2003-2008: Administrator, Holy Family Parish, Inkster

Administrator, Holy Family Parish, Inkster 2011: Administrator, St. Benedict Parish, Waterford

Administrator, St. Benedict Parish, Waterford 2008-present: Pastor, St. Perpetua Parish, Wayne

While restricted from ministry, Baker is prohibited from representing himself as a priest, wearing clerical attire or exercising any form of Church ministry. Like any cleric restricted from ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit, he is monitored to ensure compliance with Church restrictions.

Baker has not yet been charged with a crime.

This comes after the Michigan Attorney General's Office late last month announced sexual abuse charges against five current and former Michigan Catholic priests.

According to AG's office spokeswoman Rossman-McKinney ​​​​​​,Westland priest Father Patrick Casey, who was arrested in Oak Park in May, waived his preliminary exam Thursday morning and is due in court next month.

Three others were arrested in Arizona, California and Florida, while the fifth awaits extradition from India -- which Rossman-McKinney said is expected to happen this week.

A clergy abuse investigative team has been reviewing hundreds of thousands of pages of documents seized from the dioceses last October.

While investigations continue, Rossman-McKinney said the tips continue to come in.

"We're having a lot of folks who were abused when they were children and are just now, you know, coming to the point where they can report that abuse, and we encourgage that," she told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.

"Many of these men had left the state, and because they left the state the statute of limitations had not run out, and that gives victims a lot of encouragement in terms of coming forward."

Anyone with knowledge of sexual abuse by clergy or other church representatives are urged to contact local law enforcement and/or the Michigan Attorney General’s Office at 844-324-3374 or by email at aginvestigations@michigan.gov. Individuals also may contact the Archdiocese of Detroit by visiting protect.aod.org, calling the toll-free, 24/7 victim assistance line at 866-343-8055 or by emailing vac@aod.org. There are no time limits or restrictions on individuals wishing to report abuse.

