The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and churches across Rhode Island are so far facing 33 state lawsuits and at least one federal complaint alleging decades of sexual abuse committed by clergy and other officials.
That’s just the number of cases filed on Wednesday, the first day victims could file complaints under a two-year revival window allowing previously expired claims against institutions such as the diocese to begin again. The General Assembly passed landmark legislation in June amending the state’s statute of limitations. Gov. Dan McKee signed the legislation into law on June 11.
The window closes June 30, 2028, under the new law. Previously, those victims had 35 years after turning 18 to sue individual priests, teachers, coaches and others who molested them, or up until they turned 53.
Complaints reviewed by Rhode Island Current contain abuse allegations dating back to 1958, all claiming the diocese knew or should have known about the sexual crimes its officials and staff committed.
Nearly all of the complaints filed Wednesday in state court were represented by Decof, Mega & Quinn, the Providence law firm also suing Brown University for negligence over the Dec. 13, 2025, campus shooting that left two students dead and nine others injured. Many of the abuse claims contain the same language:
“Defendants intended, or acted with reckless disregard of the likelihood, that their collective conduct would prevent discovery of abuse, enable continued access to children, and protect perpetrators and institutional interests from scrutiny and accountability.”
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