Profile Facts
- Name
- Terrence M. Healy
- Role
- Priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Marquette
- Ordained
- 1968
- Status
- Convicted
- Died
- 1/1/2019
- Records
- Diocesan and public records
Coming forward about abuse by Father Terrence M. Healy or another member of the clergy takes extraordinary courage. White Law PLLC’s clergy sexual abuse lawyers guide Michigan survivors through every step, from the first confidential conversation to the resolution of a claim.
The profile below summarizes the public record concerning Father Terrence M. Healy. Reading it may be difficult; support and legal options are within reach.
Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Marquette
In 2018 the Michigan Attorney General began investigating sexual abuse by Catholic clergy throughout the state, covering the Diocese of Marquette and Michigan’s six other dioceses: Archdiocese of Detroit, Diocese of Lansing, Diocese of Saginaw, Diocese of Kalamazoo, Diocese of Grand Rapids, and Diocese of Gaylord. The resulting reports pulled back the curtain on abuse that church officials had kept quiet for generations. Reports concerning Father Terrence M. Healy emerged from this statewide review.
If you suffered abuse by Father Terrence M. Healy or otherwise connected to the Diocese of Marquette, a Michigan clergy sexual abuse lawyer can review the public record with you and assess the legal options that may still be open.
The Allegations Against Father Terrence M. Healy
Where He Served
Terrence M. Healy was ordained for the Diocese of Marquette in 1968, according to published diocesan records. In the mid-1970s he opened a foster home for boys. He took a leave of absence in late 1977, applied in 1982 for incardination into the Lansing diocese, which was granted in 1985, and was removed in 1987.
What Was Reported
Published records indicate that in December 1987, Healy pleaded no contest in Livingston County to charges that he sexually abused a 15-year-old boy, and he spent four and one-half years in prison. He sought and was granted laicization in 1992. Healy admitted to sex with 18 boys, the youngest age 14. Additional allegations include: a 1993 report of abuse of a 19-year-old male who had come to him for counseling, about 20 years earlier; 2012 reports from two men alleging abuse as boys in Lansing; a 1996 report, announced by the Marquette Diocese in September 2019, of abuse from 1968 to 1972; an October 2019 allegation that he abused many children who lived with him in the early 1970s while awaiting foster care; allegations from four more men in 2018-2020 of abuse as boys; and a 2020 report from a woman who said she was sexually and physically abused by Healy at age 13 in about 1983 at Holy Family in Ovid, Michigan, describing sadistic behavior, and saying he also abused her brother, ages 11 to 14, and a cousin who said Healy tied him up, beat him, and raped him during a trip.
Healy was included on the Lansing diocese’s list on September 27, 2019, and in the Michigan Attorney General’s October 2022 Marquette report and December 2024 Lansing report. He died on January 1, 2019. He can no longer be prosecuted, but survivors may still pursue civil claims against his estate and the dioceses that supervised him.
Criminal vs. Civil Sexual Abuse Cases
It helps to think of criminal and civil cases as two different roads. The criminal road is driven by the government and can end in jail or prison for an abuser such as Father Terrence M. Healy. The civil road is driven by the survivor and can end in a settlement or verdict that funds therapy, medical care, and recovery.
These roads do not depend on each other. A survivor may file a civil lawsuit regardless of whether the state pursued criminal charges against someone like Father Terrence M. Healy, and many do so years after the abuse.
Statute of Limitations on Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases in Michigan
Time limits matter, but they are not always the end of the story. Michigan’s §600.5805 gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse until ten years have passed or they turn 28 to bring a civil case, and first-degree criminal charges can be filed at any time, including in cases involving Father Terrence M. Healy.
Because abuse-related trauma can suppress memories for years, the law provides doctrines that may extend filing deadlines. Survivors with claims tied to Father Terrence M. Healy should not assume their window has closed without having a lawyer evaluate the specifics.
View All Accused Clergy in Michigan
Pursue Justice With Help From White Law PLLC
Even when the abuser has died, justice may still be available through claims against his estate and the church entities that supervised him. Liability often turns on what officials knew or should have known, whether they failed to prevent or covered up abuse, and whether they screened and trained clergy like Father Terrence M. Healy responsibly.
Survivors bringing claims connected to Father Terrence M. Healy can recover for medical and therapy expenses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Reach White Law PLLC at (517) 316-1195, your consultation is free and completely confidential.
Profiles summarize published records and allegations. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding.