Profile Facts
- Name
- Arthur Michael Karey
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Ordained
- 1943
- Status
- Accused
- Died
- 1/6/1993
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Allegations of sexual abuse by clergy surface years, sometimes decades, after the harm occurred. If you or someone you love was hurt by Msgr. Arthur Michael Karey, the clergy sexual abuse lawyers at White Law PLLC can explain your legal options in a confidential consultation.
This page summarizes the reported accusations against Msgr. Karey, a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit who served as a police chaplain and died in 1993. In 2018, the archdiocese announced it had investigated and deemed credible an allegation that he sexually abused a minor. The information below comes from published diocesan records. Because Msgr. Karey is deceased, criminal prosecution is not possible, but civil claims may still be available.
Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit
Michigan is served by seven Catholic dioceses: the Archdiocese of Detroit and the dioceses of Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw. The Michigan Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation, launched in 2018, has pressed each diocese to account for how it handled allegations, including cases where the accused priest had long since died. A Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can help survivors understand whether the archdiocese’s own findings support a civil case.
Msgr. Karey worked in Detroit, Ecorse, and Orion. A priest’s prominence in the community, including roles like police chaplain, can make it even harder for a young victim to be believed, which is one reason survivors often wait years to speak.
The Allegations Against Father Arthur Michael Karey
Ministry and Death
Published records indicate that Arthur Michael Karey, a monsignor ordained in 1943, served in Detroit, Ecorse, and Orion and worked as a police chaplain. He died on January 6, 1993.
Credible Allegation Announced in 2018
In June 2018, the archdiocese announced that it had investigated and deemed credible an allegation received the previous year that Karey had sexually abused a girl under age 16, in the early to mid years of his priesthood. When the church itself deems an allegation credible, that determination can carry significant weight in a civil lawsuit, as it reflects the institution’s own acknowledgment of the abuse.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
Two separate legal avenues can follow clergy abuse. In a criminal case, the state prosecutes the accused and must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; a conviction can lead to imprisonment. In a civil case, the survivor sues for damages under a lower burden of proof. Msgr. Karey’s death forecloses criminal prosecution, leaving the civil path.
Criminal Prosecution
Criminal cases are brought by prosecutors to punish offenders. They cannot proceed against someone who has died, and they provide no compensation to survivors.
Civil Claims
Civil lawsuits seek financial recovery for the survivor and can name the abuser’s estate as well as the archdiocese. Where the church investigated, found an allegation credible, and failed to act sooner, those facts can strengthen a survivor’s case.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Under Michigan Legislature §600.5805, civil claims for sexual abuse must generally be filed within ten years of the abuse or before the survivor turns 28, whichever is later. Michigan law sets no time limit for first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.
Survivors abused as children in the mid-20th century often did not disclose for decades, if ever. Fear, shame, deference to clergy, and trauma-related memory loss are powerful silencers. The timeliness of a claim depends on specific facts, so survivors should seek legal advice rather than assume the passage of time has closed the door.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Civil claims may provide compensation for medical and therapy costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Survivors may sue the abuser’s estate and the archdiocese or other church institutions where leaders knew or should have known of the abuse, failed to prevent it, concealed it, or failed to properly screen, train, and supervise clergy.
White Law PLLC offers confidential consultations to Michigan survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Call (517) 316-1195.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.