Decades of Sexual Abuse Uncovered Among Catholic Priests in Rhode Island

Sprawling investigation finds hundreds of children victimized, with many abusive priests able to evade accountability

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A multiyear investigation by the Rhode Island Attorney General's office has uncovered a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the state, with over 300 victims and 75 abusive clergy identified since 1950. The report details how the Diocese of Providence often transferred accused priests to new assignments without thoroughly investigating complaints or contacting law enforcement, and in some cases even allowed abusive priests to remain in active ministry for years.

Why it matters

The findings in Rhode Island echo the widespread sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church across the United States, raising questions about the church's handling of abuse allegations and the need for greater transparency and accountability. The report aims to provide a 'full reckoning' of the abuse that has long remained hidden, in a state with one of the highest Catholic populations per capita.

The details

The investigation found that 75 Catholic clergy molested more than 300 victims since 1950, though officials believe the true number of victimized children and abusive priests is likely much higher. The diocesan records revealed that the diocese often transferred accused priests to new assignments without thoroughly investigating complaints or contacting law enforcement, and in some cases even opened a 'spiritual retreat-style facility' in the 1950s to house accused priests. By the 1990s, accused priests were sometimes placed on sabbatical leave. Overall, the majority of cases involving accused priests avoided accountability from both law enforcement and the diocese, with only 20 of the 75 clergy identified ever facing criminal charges and just 14 being convicted.

  • The investigation was launched by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha in 2019, nearly a year after a Pennsylvania grand jury report found over 1,000 children had been abused by an estimated 300 priests in that state since the 1940s.
  • The report was released on March 4, 2026.

The players

Peter Neronha

The Rhode Island Attorney General who led the multiyear investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the state.

Thomas Tobin

The former Providence Bishop who intervened to allow a priest accused of abuse to retire without being removed from the priesthood.

Francis Santilli

A priest who served on Rhode Island's diocese review board but later received child sexual abuse complaints against himself in 2014 and 2021, remaining in active ministry until 2022.

Robert Carpentier

A priest accused of sexual abuse in 1992 who was sent to a treatment center, placed on sabbatical, and remained on 'leave of absence' until his retirement in 2006, receiving support from the diocese until his death in 2012.

Monsignor John Allard

A priest who sexually abused a young teenager in 1981, but was allowed to retire without being removed from the priesthood after then-Bishop Thomas Tobin intervened.

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What they’re saying

“Not until now has there been a comprehensive review of this painful chapter in our state's history, with a view toward offering transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms that will, I hope, lessen the likelihood of future child sexual abuse, not just within the Diocese of Providence, but in our community as a whole.”

— Peter Neronha, Rhode Island Attorney General (whdh.com)

“He never asked me for a hug, he never asked me if I wanted a hug, his comment to me was always, 'You need a hug,' and that's something that I can hear him saying very clearly to this very day.”

— Unnamed survivor (whdh.com)

What’s next

The report has sparked renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability within the Catholic Church, with some survivors and advocates arguing that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that allowed the abuse to continue for decades. The Rhode Island Attorney General's office has also charged four current and former priests for sexual abuse committed while serving in the diocese between 2020 and 2022, with three of those priests still awaiting trial.

The takeaway

The sprawling investigation in Rhode Island has laid bare the devastating scale of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, underscoring the urgent need for the church to confront its dark history of concealing abuse and prioritizing the protection of its own reputation over the safety of children. This report serves as a sobering reminder that the scourge of clergy sexual abuse remains an ongoing crisis that requires a comprehensive, transparent, and victim-centered response from the Catholic Church and law enforcement authorities.