Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Anthony J. Conti

Father Anthony “Tony” J. Conti was a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit for many years. However, his ministry career quickly ended when sexual abuse allegations against an underage boy were brought to light, which had occurred many years earlier. 

• Primary Entity Name: Anthony J. Conti
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Anthony Conti, Fr. Anthony, Fr. Tony, Fr. Conti
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2016)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Father Anthony J. Conti, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Many dioceses around the country choose to publicly disclose the names of priests accused of sexual abuse once the claims are substantiated. The following entities have listed Anthony J. Conti as a credibly accused priest:

• The Archdiocese of Detroit, on June 10, 2019, via a list of credibly accused priests
• Bishop Accountability, an organization committed to naming clergy members accused of sexual abuse

Once the sexual abuse allegations against Conti were substantiated, these entities publicly identified him for past misconduct. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1976 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1976-2002 (roughly 27 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Detroit, Warren, Dearborn, and Memphis)

Restrictions: Permanently banned from the ministry in 2002

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: June 2006

Public Disclosure: June 2019 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1976 – Our Lady Queen of Haven Church in Detroit, MI

1977 – St. Edmund Church in Warren, MI

1978 – St. Andrew Church in Detroit, MI

1983 – St. Ignatius Church in Detroit, MI

1989 – St. Anne Church in Warren, MI

2000 – Sacred Heart Church in Dearborn, MI

2001 – All Saints Church in Memphis, MI

2002 – Removed from ministry

Known Allegations

The allegations against Father Anthony J. Conti center around an underage boy who was mistreated in the early years of Conti’s ministry. The abuse likely occurred before 1982, which means it may have happened while he was assigned to Our Lady Queen of Haven, St. Edmund Church, or St. Andrew Church. 

Few details are known about the nature of the abuse, other than the fact that it affected a boy who was under the age of 18 at the time. For decades, the church was unaware of Conti’s misconduct involving this individual. 

In 2002, while Father Conti was assigned to All Saints Church in Memphis, MI, the archdiocese received reports of sexual abuse that had occurred over 20 years ago. In response, Conti was placed on temporary leave while the church investigated the matter. According to press releases, members of Conti’s parish were shocked at the allegations and stood behind him. 

Once the allegations were deemed credible, the archdiocese removed Conti from ministry. The priest was named in a 2004 lawsuit and was eventually laicized in 2006. Conti died in 2016 and was eventually added to the list of credibly accused priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

Summary: Records only indicate that Father Conti abused one underage boy before 1982, and once these allegations came to light in 2002, the church acted swiftly to remove the priest from active ministry, much to the surprise of his congregation. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

• Archbishop John Francis Dearden (1958-1980)
• Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka (1981-1990)
• Archbishop Adam Joseph Maida (1990-2009)

Institutional Actions and Review

To the church’s credit, the Archdiocese of Detroit seems to have acted quickly to respond to the sexual abuse allegations against Anthony J. Conti. The alleged abuse occurred before 1982, which was early on in the accused priest’s career. However, when reports of the misconduct surfaced in 2002, Conti was placed on leave while the church investigated. 

Shortly after, Conti was permanently banned from ministry activities. The priest was no longer allowed to serve in parishes or other ministry roles. Eventually, the matter was referred to the Vatican. In 2006, the Vatican agreed to permanently remove Conti from his priestly duties, finalizing the laicization process. Conti passed away in 2016, roughly 14 years after being banned from the ministry. 

On June 10, 2019, the Archdiocese of Detroit published a list of credibly accused MI priests. Anthony J. Conti was included in this released list, identifying him as a sexual abuser who had served in the archdiocese. 

Timeline

1976 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1976-2002 – Assigned to numerous parishes in Detroit, Dearborn, Warren, and Memphis

Pre-1982 – Sexually abuses an underage boy at an unknown time and location

2002 – Allegations of sexual abuse over 20 years ago are brought to the church

2002 – The archdiocese places Conti on leave, then removes him from ministry after an investigation of the matter

2004 – Conti is named in a sexual abuse lawsuit

2006 – The Vatican confirms Conti’s removal from ministry, completing the laicization process

2016 – Conti dies

2019 – Conti is included in the archdiocese’s list of credibly accused priests

Speak With an Attorney

Sexual abuse is a major issue within the Catholic church. Victims of this misconduct often struggle to come forward for decades due to the trauma. However, the Injury Lawyer Team will stand by your side and help you tell your story to fight for justice. Together, we can navigate the claims process to obtain fair compensation for your legal damages and hold the at-fault parties accountable. 

If you or a loved one has suffered from sexual abuse by a church official, contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a Michigan clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church and diocesan disclosures, legal filings, and survivor reports, including:

• A profile of Father Anthony J. Conti on Bishop Accountability’s website
• A press release from the Times Herald outlining Conti’s parish assignments
• A press release from the Detroit Free Press about the Vatican’s response to the Conti allegations
• A press release from the Times Herald about the investigation of Conti’s misconduct
• A history of archbishops in Detroit
• The list of credibly accused priests in the Archdiocese of Detroit

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.