Archdiocese finds banned priest working again

A former Ohio priest, who worked as a music minister at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Trenton after allegations of sexual abuse were leveled against him, was found working in the Archdiocese of Detroit again.

Herbert Richey Jr. has served recently as an organist at St. Margaret of Scotland in St. Clair Shores, and possibly at another parish in the last 10 years, Ned McGrath, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said Thursday in a press release.

McGrath said Richey never worked as a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Richey was removed from priestly ministry in the Toledo diocese in 1992.

In 1996, a few years after allegations of sexual abuse of young boys were made against him, Richey came to St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he worked as the parish’s music minister.

In 1997 he was laicized.

In 2002, when it was discovered Richey was working at St. Joseph, he was immediately removed from his job and ordered by the Archdiocese of Detroit not to work in any of its parishes or schools, McGrath said in the press release.

“During the time of Herb Richey’s employment at St. Joseph, we are not aware of any allegations made against him,” the Rev. Steven Wertanen, pastor at St. Joseph’s at the time, wrote in a 2002 letter that was published in The News-Herald Newspapers. 

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