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Image: Bishop Hendricken High School seal. Credit: Bishop Hendricken High School. Used for editorial reporting and commentary.
New court filings in Rhode Island have identified 22 additional Catholic clergy members accused of sexually abusing children, expanding the number of priests and other church personnel publicly linked to abuse allegations in the state, a story posted on Bishop Accountability reveals.
The newly named clergy do not appear on the Diocese of Providence’s earlier public list or among the 72 clergy identified as credibly accused in a March 2026 report by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
The allegations span nearly four decades, from 1958 through 1996, and involve children at Catholic churches and schools across Rhode Island.
New Allegations Surface Through Rhode Island Lawsuits
The 22 clergy members were named in civil lawsuits filed after Rhode Island opened a new two-year window allowing survivors of childhood sexual abuse to bring claims that previously would have been barred by statutes of limitations.
According to reporting on the filings, 21 of the newly named clergy are confirmed deceased. The status of one former Bishop Hendricken High School teacher accused of abuse dating to 1966 is unclear.
The lawsuits describe alleged abuse involving boys and girls at parishes and Catholic institutions across the state, including churches in Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick, East Providence, North Kingstown, Tiverton, Woonsocket and Middletown.
Some complaints allege repeated abuse over time, while others describe assaults occurring in church sacristies, parish buildings or Catholic schools.
Survivors may have legal options when a diocese, parish or other Catholic institution failed to respond to warning signs or protect children from known risks.
Learn more about Catholic Church sexual abuse lawsuits, filing deadlines and survivor legal options.
Rhode Island Revival Window Leads to Wave of Lawsuits
Rhode Island’s General Assembly approved legislation in June creating a two-year revival window for previously expired childhood sexual abuse claims. Gov. Dan McKee signed the measure June 11.
The window opened July 1, 2026, and remains open through June 30, 2028. It allows survivors to pursue claims not only against alleged perpetrators but also against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling, concealing or failing to prevent childhood sexual abuse.
According to the Rhode Island Current, more than 30 lawsuits involving the Diocese of Providence and other Catholic institutions were filed on the first day alone. By Oct. 2, at least 180 clergy sexual abuse lawsuits had reportedly been filed under the reopened window.
Attorney General Report Documented Decades of Abuse
The new filings follow a six-year investigation by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office into clergy sexual abuse and the Diocese of Providence’s response.
The investigation by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office reviewed more than 250,000 pages of diocesan records dating to 1950. The Attorney General’s report identified 72 clergy determined to have been credibly accused of child sexual misconduct and documented allegations involving hundreds of children over several decades,
The report also examined how church officials responded to allegations and whether accused clergy were reported to law enforcement, removed from ministry or reassigned.
The 22 clergy newly identified in civil lawsuits were not included in that official list, illustrating how Rhode Island’s reopened filing period may continue to bring additional allegations into public court records.
Lawsuits Accuse Diocese of Failing to Protect Children
Although the allegations differ from case to case, many of the lawsuits make similar claims against the Diocese of Providence and individual parishes.
Plaintiffs allege church institutions failed to adequately supervise clergy, respond to warning signs or protect children from individuals in positions of trust and authority.
The Diocese told the Providence Journal that it expects information gathered during the Attorney General’s investigation to be available during discovery in the civil litigation.
The lawsuits are still in their early stages, and the allegations involving the newly named clergy have not yet been adjudicated.
