Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Fr. Terrence “Terry” Healy

This page outlines the documented assignments, reported allegations of sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Terrence “Terry” Healy, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s representation of survivors in Michigan clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Terrence Healy
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Terrence Healy, Fr. Terrence M. Healy, Terrence Healy, Terry Healy 
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parochial Vicar, Parochial Administrator, Pastor, youth ministry involvement
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Terrence M. Healy was publicly listed as a credibly and criminally accused priest by both Church entities and government bodies, including:

• The Diocese of Marquette
• The Diocese of Lansing
• The Michigan Attorney General (2022 Marquette Diocese report, 2024 Lansing Diocese report)

Healy pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse, served time in prison and a residential treatment, and was laicized by the Vatican. Allegations involved the sexual abuse of multiple children under his care at a foster home, as well as the abuse of altar boys. 

• Entity That Listed Him: Diocese of Marquette, Diocese of Lansing, Vatican (laicization), Michigan Attorney (2022 and 2024 reports)
• Reason for Listing: Multiple substantiated and credible allegations of child sexual abuse in both the Diocese of Marquette and the Diocese of Lansing

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1968

Incardinated into the Diocese of Marquette: 1968

Incardinated into the Diocese of Lansing: 1985

Years in Active Ministry: 1968–1987

Locations Where He Served: Diocese of Marquette, Diocese of Lansing

Restrictions: Removed from ministry in 1987

Criminal Convictions: Convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1987

Release from Prison: Spent 4.5 years in prison after attending a treatment program in Washington, DC

Laicization: Laicized by the Vatican in 1992

Died: 2019

Public Listing: Multiple Church listings by both diocese; included in both the 2022 and 2024 Attorney General reports

Number of Survivors: 19, as noted in public documents

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Lansing

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• Sacred Heart — L’Anse, MI (1968–1969)
• St. Joseph’s — Sault Ste. Marie (1969–1974)
• St. Ignatius Loyola — Houghton, MI (1974–1977)
• St. Mary’s — Hermansville, MI (1974–1977)
• St. Peter’s Cathedral — Marquette, MI (1977–1978)
• Holy Family — Grand Blanc, MI (1980–1983)
• St. Francis of Assisi — Ann Arbor, MI (1983–1984)
• St. Joseph’s — St. John’s, MI (1984–1985)
• St. John the Baptist — Howell, MI (date range not publicly specified)
• Holy Family — Ovid, MI (1985–1987)

Non-Church Assignments: Healy operated a foster home for troubled youth during the mid-1970s, which was not initially affiliated with the church. He also interacted with children at associated parochial schools and was, according to one victim, “very involved” with the teenagers of the church. 

Known Allegations

During the 1970s, Fr. Terrence Healy operated a foster home for boys that was not affiliated with the Church, and for which he went into debt. One victim alleged that he sexually abused multiple children at this foster home. 

In 1987, the mother of one victim came forward to allege that Healy would invite boys to stay overnight at the rectory in Ovid, offering them gifts and fondling them. He would also visit the children at their homes with their parents present. 

Shortly after this, the parents of one victim pressed charges. Fr. Healy was sent to the St. Luke Treatment Center near Washington, DC, for a psychological evaluation, but was ultimately convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against a minor in 1987. He served four and a half years in prison. 

In 1992, Fr. Terrence Healy petitioned for laicization. In a letter to Bishop Povish of the Diocese of Lansing, Healy admitted to having abused 19 victims since being incardinated and claimed to have a sex addiction. 

Healy further admitted in a 2012 telephone conversation with Msgr. Raica that his youngest victim was 14, and that Bishop Salatka, then-bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, had sent him to a treatment center in Boston for his concerning behavior with adolescents. 

Summary: Fr. Healy was convicted of sexually abusing minors and admitted to having at least 19 victims. He petitioned for laicization in 1992 following his release from prison. 

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishop Charles Salatka — Diocese of Marquette
• Bishop Kenneth Povish — Diocese of Lansing 

Institutional Actions and Review

The Diocese of Marquette, addressing the 2022 Michigan Attorney General’s report, stated that there were no allegations against Fr. Healy before he was excardinated from the diocese and incardinated at the Diocese of Lansing. The Michigan Attorney General’s report also noted that there were no records suggesting that the Diocese of Marquette was aware of the misconduct. 

Reports emerged in 1987 following accusations by several victims. At this time, Bishop Povish of the Diocese of Lansing removed Fr. Healy from duty and sent him to St. Luke Institute, a Catholic mental health facility in Maryland, for psychological evaluation. The bishop also wrote progress letters to the victim’s families about Fr. Healy’s treatment and attended the sentencing.

Following his parole, Fr. Healy petitioned for laicization, which was approved the same year. Both the Diocese of Lansing and the Diocese of Marquette continued to receive complaints about Fr. Healy from 1987 to 2020, with the Archdiocese of Detroit referring reports. 

Fr. Healy was included on the list of accused clergy in Michigan by both the Diocese of Marquette and the Diocese of Lansing. He was also included in the Attorney General’s 2022 Diocese of Marquette report and the 2024 Diocese of Lansing report. 

Timeline

1968 — Incardinated in the Diocese of Marquette

Mid-1970s (approx) — Operated a foster home for boys, with alleged abuse

1968–1977 — Held parish assignments in the Diocese of Marquette

1977 — Leave of absence, may have gone to House of Affirmation (Boston) for treatment

1985 — Incardinated in the Diocese of Lansing

1987 — Abuse allegations by several victims; removed from ministry

1987 — Pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct; sent to St. Luke Institute for treatment

1987–2020 — Victims continue to come forward, alleging abuse

1992 — Laicized by the Vatican following a 4.5 year prison sentence

2019 — Died

2019 — Listed in the Diocese of Lansing list of credibly accused priests

2022 — Included in Michigan Attorney General’s report on the Diocese of Marquette

2024 — Included in Michigan Attorney General’s report on the Diocese of Lansing

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you know was sexually abused by Father Terrence Healy in the Diocese of Lansing or the Diocese of Marquette, you may still have time to file a legal claim. Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse throughout the state and recognizes the sensitive nature of these civil claims. Contact a Michigan clergy abuse attorney for a confidential consultation about your legal options. 

Sources

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

• Statement by the Diocese of Marquette, acknowledging that Fr. Terrence Healy is a credibly accused priest.
• Michigan Attorney General’s 2022 report on the Diocese of Marquette, which lists Healy as a credibly and criminally accused priest.
• Michigan Attorney General’s 2024 report on the Diocese of Lansing, which also outlines the allegations against Healy in the diocese.
• Fr. Terrence Healy’s profile on Bishop-Accountability.org, which outlines Fr. Healy’s parish assignments and compiles reports from church, public, and government sources.
• The Diocese of Lansing’s 2019 list of credibly accused priests, which acknowledges that Fr. Healy is a credibly and criminally accused clergy member. 
• The Diocese of Marquette’s list of credibly accused priests, listing Fr. Healy’s removal from ministry.  

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.