NEW: Neronha Strikes Agreement with Diocese of Providence to Review 70 Years of Records
GoLocalProv News Team
NEW: Neronha Strikes Agreement with Diocese of Providence to Review 70 Years of Records
As part of an ongoing review of allegations of clergy child sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence, the Attorney General has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence.
“While this voluntary, additional disclosure by the diocese is an important step forward in our review, much additional work remains. We will not hesitate to take any additional steps that may prove necessary to fully determine the scope of misconduct here and take appropriate action,” said Neronha.
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This MOU expands on and supplements a 2016 Letter of Understanding between the Office and the Diocese dated August 30, 2016, by providing fuller access to historical records.
In October of 2018, GoLocal reported that the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a national non-profit, has called on Democratic candidate for Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha to commit to investigating the Diocese of Providence.
Alliance for Safe Communities, a Rhode Island-based organization advocating for the victims of diocesan sexual abuse, says it has reached out to former U.S. Attorney Neronha regarding his unwillingness to commit to an investigation of the Catholic Diocese sex abuse scandal.
"According to Bishop-Accountability.org, there are at least 38 priests who worked in Rhode Island who have been accused of abuse. We fear there may be more. We hope that both candidates will seriously consider the importance of this investigation, especially as they enter the final weeks of their campaign," said SNAP.
Now, in more than one dozen states across the country, attorney generals have launched investigations into the role of the respective dioceses and cover-up of abuse.
Attorney General’s Investigation
The Attorney General’s review, along with the Rhode Island State Police, is intended to identify any prosecutable cases; ensure there are no credibly accused clergy in active ministry, and provide input into improvements of the Diocese’s current policies and procedures for preventing and responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.
Its objectives include determining how the Diocese responded to past reports of child sexual abuse.
“It is my intention to be as transparent as possible regarding our findings, within the limits of current Rhode Island law. I am grateful to Colonel Manni for his commitment to partnering with the Office to undertake and complete this review,” said Neronha.
Files provided will include the recently released list of 50 credibly and publicly accused clergy, as well as previously collected files for the period of 1971-2007 (related to prior litigation).
In addition, all files related to allegations of child sexual abuse that are maintained in the Diocese Office of Compliance, as well as any other files requested by the Attorney General, will be provided.
Victim Support
Victims are strongly encouraged to reach out to Jonathan Elliott, Rhode Island State Police detective, at (401)-444-1372 to report clergy abuse. Victims may also contact Day One’s Support Line at 401-421-4100 x444 or email [email protected] to be connected with clinical support and advocacy services.
Support is available for victims no matter when the sexual violence occurred.
Day One staff are trained to accompany victims to medical facilities, police stations, legal proceedings, and to provide support and advocacy throughout the entire process.
List of Diocese of Providence Sex Abusers - July 1, 2019
List of Credibly Accused Clergy - Living
Name Date of Birth Ordained Current Status
Joseph Abbruzzese 5/14/1959
Age 60 11/17/1990 Removed from Ministry 12/1/1993
Daniel Azzarone 3/11/1951
Age 68 6/16/1978 Removed from Ministry 11/1/2001
Paul Charland 4/24/1945
Age 74 5/15/1971 Removed from Ministry 8/26/2011
Joseph D'Angelo 1/3/1947
Age 72 4/21/1979 Removed from Ministry 7/1/1983
Kevin Fisette 6/26/1955
Age 64 11/21/1981 Removed from Ministry 8/24/2009
Edmund Fitzgerald 12/5/1929
Age 90 5/25/1957 Removed from Ministry 8/27/1998
Timothy Gorton 2/6/1956
Age 63 11/20/1982 Removed from Ministry 4/23/2012
P. Henry Leech 3/10/1950
Age 69 9/26/1980 Removed from Ministry 5/4/1984
Roland Lepire 2/18/1949
Age 70 8/23/1975 Removed from Ministry 2/9/1996
Robert McIntyre 5/22/1937
Age 82 6/29/1963 Removed from Ministry 3/30/1994
Richard Meglio 11/6/1941
Age 77 2/12/1972 Removed from Ministry 4/22/1988
Edmund Micarelli 1/29/1923
Age 96 5/23/1959 Removed from Ministry 4/17/1990
John Petrocelli 10/13/1945
Age 73 5/8/1971 Removed from Ministry 8/22/2002
James Silva 11/25/1939
Age 79 6/3/1967 Removed from Ministry 3/1/1993
William Tanguay 6/18/1943
Age 76 6/28/1969 Removed from Ministry 6/17/2002
John Tormey 2/12/1942
Age 77 6/3/1967 Resigned from Ministry 3/2/1979; Allegation received after resignation
Samuel Turillo 7/6/1920
Age 98 6/15/1946 Removed from Ministry 6/29/2016
List of Credibly Accused Deacons - Living
Name Date of Birth Ordained Current Status
Laurence Gagnon 7/25/1940
Age 78 6/23/1979 Removed from Ministry 8/10/2011
Edward Sadowski 8/23/1942
Age 76 6/29/1979 Removed from Ministry 7/30/2001
List of Credibly Accused Clergy - Deceased
Name Date of Birth Ordained Current Status
John Allard 7/7/1949 9/19/1975 Removed from Ministry 2/25/2013; Died 4/27/2018
Roger Belhumeur 3/29/1926 5/27/1961 Died 9/28/2010; Predeceased any allegation received
Dennis Brodeur 7/1/1951 7/23/1977 Died 1/1/2004; Predeceased any allegation received
Robert Carpentier 2/12/1941 6/3/1967 Removed from Ministry 4/9/1992; Died 5/9/2012
Normand Demers 9/14/1932 5/31/1958 Removed from Ministry 4/1/2002; Died 7/21/2018
Alfred Desrosiers 3/13/1935 6/25/1961 Removed from Ministry 4/2/1993; Died 2/15/2001
Louis Diogo 12/11/1920 6/23/1946 Removed from Ministry 5/10/2006; Died 4/4/2015
Charles Dolan 2/17/1904 12/20/1930 Died 11/5/1977; Predeceased any allegation received
Louis Dunn 12/19/1920 5/31/1947 Removed from Ministry 3/24/1994; Died 4/18/2001
Oscar Ferland 3/16/1918 12/23/1944 Died 7/8/1998; Predeceased any allegation received
John Ferry 4/23/1926 2/2/1957 Died 4/11/1988; Predeceased any allegation received
William Gillooly 11/11/1918 12/23/1944 Died 9/2/1989; Predeceased any allegation received
Rene Guertin 1/20/1919 6/15/1946 Died 1/23/1982; Predeceased any allegation received
Richard Holden 9/11/1939 5/23/1964 Died 3/23/1985; Predeceased any allegation received
Michael La Mountain 3/5/1949 8/14/1976 Removed from Ministry 3/3/1995; Died 8/25/2010
Philip Magaldi 4/29/1936 12/18/1960 Removed from Ministry 5/6/1992; Died 8/8/2008
Robert Marcantonio 11/30/1942 6/24/1967 Removed from Ministry 8/16/1989; Died 10/20/1999
Barry Meehan 7/21/1949 6/10/1978 Removed from Ministry 1/8/2013; Died 12/8/2016
Adrian Menard 4/9/1922 6/15/1946 Died 2/1/1976; Predeceased any allegation received
William O'Connell 4/10/1922 6/3/1950 Removed from Ministry 2/19/1985; Died 5/12/1996
William O'Neill 9/16/1941 6/8/1968 Left Ministry 7/10/1971; Died 5/3/2000; Predeceased any allegation received
Hugh Rafferty 3/21/1933 6/7/1964 Removed from Ministry 11/1/1974; Died 1/11/2001
William Raiche 6/20/1908 5/21/1932 Died 3/26/1983; Predeceased any allegation received
Peter Scagnelli 1/13/1949 8/6/1976 Removed from Ministry 1/1/1994; Died 7/12/2017
Armand Ventre 2/8/1932 6/30/1957 Removed from Ministry 7/5/1985; Died 12/27/99
List of Credibly Accused Religious Order Priests - Deceased
Name Date of Birth Ordained Current Status
James D. Campbell, M.S.C.
Missionary of the Sacred Heart 6/25/1945 5/27/1972 Left the Diocese of Providence 9/1977; Removed from Ministry 3/2005 by M.S.C.; Died 2007
John Aquinas Powers, O.P.
Dominican Friar
Province of St. Joseph 9/27/1925 6/12/1952 Left Diocese of Providence 9/1965; Removed from Ministry 2/2005 by Province of St. Joseph; Died 10/19/2010
Joseph James Rocha, O.P.
Dominican Friar
Province of St. Joseph 4/16/1940 6/9/1966 Left Diocese of Providence 6/2/1986; Removed from Ministry 1988 by Province of St. Joseph; Died 2009
John Gerard Brendan Smythm O. Praem.,
Norbertine Monk
Belfast, Northern Ireland 6/8/1927 7/31/1951 Left Diocese of Providence 2/1968; Died in prison 8/22/1997
List of Publicly Accused Clergy - Deceased
Name Date of Birth Ordained Current Status
Anthony DeAngelis 10/14/1908 3/18/1935 Died 1/23/1990; Predeceased any allegation received
Peter Tedeschi 5/22/1931 6/4/1960 Died 10/18/1986; Predeceased any allegation received
