The Diocese of Providence oversees all parishes in the state of Rhode Island and with Catholics comprising 42% of the population, Rhode Island is the most Catholic state per capita in America. In the early 2000s a wave of clergy sexual abuse cases rocked the Catholic communities of Rhode Island. In 2002, the Diocese of Providence settled dozens of sexual abuse lawsuits for $14 million. Rhode Island courts later ruled against the diocese which had fought to keep confidential the files of 83 priests who had faced accusations of abuse in the past. The Providence Journal reports that in 2007, details of cover up attempts made by Rhode Island church officials became public causing further pain amongst survivors and other parishioners.
According to a recent report in the Providence Journal, Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has faced criticism over a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report that 300 priests had abused more than 1,000 children. The reason for the criticism is that from 1992-1996, Bishop Tobin was the auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, one of the dioceses named in the grand jury report. While Bishop Tobin was not named in the findings or questioned by investigators, some local parishioners still believe he bears moral responsibility. In December 2018, amid new pressure on the church, Bishop Tobin announced that the Providence diocese had begun gathering a list of names of priests who have been credibly accused of sexual assault. This list was officially released in July of 2019.
The following list includes current or former priests who have been sued and/or suspended following allegations of sexual abuse of minors or have claims against them in the state of Rhode Island. We are actively pursuing cases against Catholic priests and clergy as well as figures from the Rhode Island diocese.
Important note: If the name of a priest or other member of clergy you are searching for does not appear in the lists below, it does not mean that you do not have a potential claim against that individual. These lists of credibly accused individuals are always expanding as more information is brought forth to the dioceses and to authorities. Please contact us if you or a loved one has been abused by a priest or other clergy member, regardless of whether they appear in the lists below or not.
| Diocese of Providence | 50 Named Priests |
The following list contains Priests and Clergy from the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island have been the objects of legal settlements or otherwise credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor:
If you prefer to speak with us directly regarding your incident, please call The Meneo Law Group at 1-866-371-8506 1-866-371-8506 or send us a confidential email.