An allegation that a now-deceased priest sexually abused a minor has been deemed credible, Archdiocese of Detroit officials announced Friday.
Msgr. Arthur Michael Karey died in 1993 at age 74 after serving as a priest in Detroit, Ecorse and Lake Orion over five decades.
The archdiocese received a complaint last year about Karey abusing a girl under age 16. It occurred during the early to middle years of his ministry, said Ned McGrath, director of public affairs for the archdiocese.
The archdiocese contacted police and also launched its own review.
The Archdiocesan Review Board, which investigates and considers allegations of clergy sexual abuse and makes recommendations to the archbishop, found the complaint to be credible.
Anyone who believes they were abused by Karey or another priest is asked to contact the archdiocese's Victim Assistance Coordinator at 866-343-8055 or vac@aod.org.
"We don’t care if the complaint is five years old, or 15 years old, or 50 years old, we want to know about it and work with the person" to offer counseling or other assistance if needed, McGrath said.
Karey was ordained in 1943. He served as an associate pastor at St. Francis Xavier, Ecorse (1944); St. Lawrence, Detroit (1949); and St. John the Evangelist, Detroit (1952). He was pastor of St. Joseph, Lake Orion (1964); Christ the King, Detroit (1968); and St. Aloysius, Detroit (1980).
Karey was also a chaplain for the Detroit Police Department, providing counseling and guidance to both officers and citizens.
Karey retired as an active priest from St. Aloysius in 1992. Early the following year, after saying mass at Our Lady of Victory parish in Northville, he went to the church rectory and collapsed. He was taken to a hospital, where he died of heart disease.
Contact staff writer Ann Zaniewski at 313-222-6594 or azaniewski@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AnnZaniewski.
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