Ex predator priest working at parish

He’s accused of molesting several Ohio kids

The Vatican defrocked him but he’s now at local Catholic church

Group blasts archdiocesan officials for “recklessness and secrecy”

Prelate should “reach out” to others who might have been abused, SNAP says

What:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will
-- disclose that a defrocked serial predator priest from Ohio now works at a Detroit parish, and
-- blast local Catholic officials for “recklessly and secretly endangering kids” by hiring him.

They will also urge Detroit’s archbishop to
-- investigate and explain how the child molester was hired, and
-- discipline those responsible for the irresponsible move.

And the victims will encourage anyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes to call police, get help, expose predators, protect kids and start healing.

When:
Thursday, Jan. 27, at 1:00 p.m.

Where:
Outside the Detroit Catholic archdiocesan headquarters (“chancery”), 1234 Washington Blvd. in Detroit MI

Who:
2-4 individuals who were molested by clergy who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

Why:
According to several sources (including a parish bulletin), Herbert Richey recently worked (and may still work) in music ministry at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church (21201 Thirteen Mile Road, 586 293 2240) in the Detroit suburb of St. Clair Shores.

According to news accounts and a Boston-based research group called BishopAccountability.org, Richey has been accused of molesting at least seven kids in two Toledo parishes in the 1980s. In 2008, Toledo church officials admitted that allegations against him “were investigated and have been found not only to be credible but substantiated.”

Confidential settlements were reportedly reached with some of Richey’s victims in the 1980s and1990s.

Richey was suspended from active ministry in 1992. But the Blade newspaper reported that “Several years later, he turned up as music director and organist at St. Michael the Archangel parish in Toledo, without the congregation being made aware of his past.” Richey was permanently defrocked in 1997.

Until around 2000, Richey reportedly worked at St. Joseph's parish in Trenton, MI (Pastor: Fr. Bradley Forintos, 734-676-9082 ext. 15, bforintos@stjosephtrenton.net). He also does music for some Sunday masses at Marygrove College (McNichols & Wyoming). SNAP has been told that Richey has worked for Detroit Catholic churches since 1996.

A concerned Detroit area Catholic recently alerted SNAP to Richey’s work for local Catholic churches.

St. Margaret’s pastor is Fr. Ronald J. DeHondt (rehondt@stmargaretofscotland-scs.org) and the music minister is Professor Frances Brockington (fbrockington@stmargaretofscotland-scs.org). Also on the music staff is Barbara Ambrogio and John Riesterer.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2002_12_01_Sallah_ShameSin.htm

Richey was ordained in 1978 and worked at parishes in these Ohio towns: Findlay, Sandusky, Mansfield, Vermilion, and Wakeman.

CONTACT
Matt Jatczak 248.252.5410 SNAPdetroit@gmail.com, David Clohessy 314.566.9790 SNAPclohessy@aol.com