Sexual Abuse Allegations Against C. Richard Kelly

Father C. Richard Kelly Jr. was a Catholic priest who served in multiple parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. In 2003, allegations came out about Kelly sexually abusing a boy decades ago during one of his ministry assignments. Although Kelly contested the allegations, the church determined that they were substantiated and removed him from ministry. 

• Primary Entity Name: C. Richard Kelly
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father C. Richard Kelly, Fr. Kelly, Fr. Richard
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased (2021)

This page summarizes the history of abuse allegations against Father C. Richard Kelly, his ministry assignments, and the institution’s response to his behavior.

Public Identification and Clergy Status

One of the major concerns about clergy abuse is how often sexually abusive priests are protected by church authorities. It frequently allows abusive individuals to move around to different assignments rather than being held accountable. In Kelly’s case, the allegations of abuse were acted upon quickly by the church and civil authorities, resulting in a swift removal from ministry.  

C. Richard Kelly Jr. was also publicly identified as a priest accused of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was named in the public list of credibly accused priests that was released on June 10, 2019. 

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1970 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Years in Active Ministry: 1970-2004, (roughly 34 years)

Locations Where He Served: Archdiocese of Detroit (Detroit, Ecorse, and Canton), Army National Guard

Restrictions: Restricted/placed on leave in 2004; permanently removed from ministry in 2005.

Criminal Convictions: None

Laicization: N/A

Public Disclosure: 2019 in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

1970-1973 – St. Mary of Redford in Detroit, MI

1975-1978 – St. Thomas Aquinas in Detroit, MI

1978-1992 – St. Francis Xavier in Ecorse, MI

1993-2004 – St. Thomas a’Becket in Canton, MI

Non-Church Assignments:

1991 – Army National Guard Chaplain in the Persian Gulf War

Known Allegations

According to reports, C. Richard Kelly was accused of sexually abusing a young boy early in his ministry career. The incident allegedly occurred in the 1970s, which is when Kelly was assigned to St. Mary of Redford Elementary School.

The accuser who came forward in 2003 is named Tim Hassett. He brought the matter to civil authorities, informing them that Kelly had sexually molested him during a two-year period when he was in fourth and fifth grade. Hassett claimed that he developed alcoholism for 25 years to lessen the pain of the sexual abuse he endured. 

When Hassett joined a substance abuse support group, he revealed these allegations to the group, who encouraged him to contact the police. Although civil authorities chose not to investigate the matter due to the statute of limitations, they referred the issue to the church, which conducted its own investigation. The church determined that the claims were substantiated and removed Kelly from his assignment at St. Thomas a’Becket in 2004. 

Many parishioners believed the allegations to be false and rallied behind Kelly. Some even committed to ending financial support for the Archdiocese of Detroit because of the decision to remove Kelly from his post. 

Summary: C. Richard Kelly was accused of sexually molesting a young boy while serving at a Catholic elementary school, but the allegations did not come out until decades later, at which point the church investigated and elected to remove Kelly from ministry in 2004. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods: 

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

Associated Organizations:

• St. Mary of Redford Elementary School
• US Army National Guard

Institutional Actions and Review

According to reports, the Archdiocese of Detroit did not know about the sexual abuse allegations against Kelly until 2004. Civil authorities decided not to investigate Hassett’s claims and referred the matter to the church. At this point, church officials investigated the allegations and determined they were substantiated. This led to the swift removal of Kelly from his pastoral position at St. Thomas a’Becket in Canton, MI. 

Although the civil lawsuit against Kelly was dismissed for failure to meet the statute of limitations, the Archdiocese of Detroit did not rescind its removal of Kelly from the ministry. The action was made permanent in 2005. Kelly initially denied the allegations, with many parishioners supporting him. 

In 2021, Kelly passed away years after being removed from the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was publicly identified in a list of credibly accused Michigan priests that came out in June 2019. He is currently listed as “previously removed from public ministry”. By all accounts, the church responded quickly to the allegations against Kelly, removing him from ministry rather than allowing him to continue serving as a pastor. 

Timeline

1970 – Ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit

1970-2004 – Assigned to various parishes throughout the diocese, including St. Mary of Redford Elementary School

1970-1973 – Assigned to St. Mary of Redford Elementary School, where he sexually abused Hassett over two years

1993 – Assigned to St. Thomas a’Becket in Canton, MI

2003 – Hassett reveals sexual abuse allegations to the police, who refer the matter to the church due to the expired statute of limitations

2003 – The Archdiocese of Detroit investigates Hassett’s claims

2004 – C. Richard Kelly is removed from his parish ministry after the church determines the allegations to be credible

2005 – Kelly’s removal is made permanent by the Archdiocese of Detroit

2019 – Kelly is included in a public list of credibly accused priests released by the Archdiocese of Detroit

2021 – Kelly passes away

Speak With an Attorney

As a survivor of clergy abuse, you may be facing a lifetime of physical and emotional suffering. Fortunately, you can hold the at-fault parties accountable for legal damages via a civil lawsuit, even if the abuse occurred many years ago. At the Injury Lawyer Team, we will stand by your side as you seek justice and fair compensation for your losses. 

Although a successful settlement cannot heal the wounds you have endured, it can secure your financial future and bring the abuser or diocese to justice. 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 C. Richard Kelly from Bishop Accountability
• A press release from the Detroit News about the parish’s response to Kelly’s removal
• A press release from the Detroit News about Kelly’s removal due to sexual abuse
• A published obituary at the time of Kelly’s death, as reported by Bishop Accountability
• A list of credibly accused priests from the Archdiocese of Detroit
• A history of archbishops in 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.