More Sexual Abuse Survivors Come Forward as Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Lawsuits Continue to Reveal Decades of Harm
Posted on: September 11, 2026 Catholic Church Sexual Abuse
More Rhode Island survivors are stepping forward to tell stories they say they have carried in silence for decades. In recent days, seven men have filed lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, alleging they were sexually abused as children by clergy members entrusted with their care. Their cases are part of a growing wave of litigation made possible by Rhode Island’s new revival law, which temporarily allows survivors to pursue civil claims that were previously barred by the statute of limitations.
One lawsuit was filed by five men identified as John Does 1 through 5, who say they served as altar boys at St. Teresa of the Child Jesus Parish in Pawtucket during the 1970s. Growing up in the Prospect Heights public housing development, they describe finding friendship, faith, and community through their church. Instead, they allege, they became targets of Rev. Armand Ventre, a priest they say repeatedly sexually abused them.
According to the complaint, Ventre invited the boys to his cabin on Lake Washington in Glocester, where he allegedly molested them over several years. The lawsuit alleges that Ventre instructed the boys to bathe after swimming, then sexually abused them while washing them by hand. It further alleges that the abuse continued when he required the boys to share his bed overnight. One survivor says the abuse began when he was just nine years old.
The lawsuit contends that the Diocese of Providence failed to protect children by allowing Ventre to remain in ministry despite warning signs. According to the complaint, Ventre’s first documented allegation of child sexual abuse dates to 1973, yet he was assigned to St. Teresa Parish from 1974 through 1980 and also served as chaplain at St. Raphael Academy during part of that time. Although he was criminally charged in 1985 with sexually abusing two altar boys and a young man with an intellectual disability, the criminal cases did not result in convictions. Ventre remained in ministry until his death in 1999 and is now listed by the Diocese as a credibly accused priest.
At the same time, additional survivors have filed lawsuits involving the former St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield, once a Catholic orphanage and residential facility for boys. The institution has emerged as the location named most often in the more than 50 lawsuits filed against the Providence Diocese since Rhode Island’s revival window opened on July 1.
The newly filed lawsuits were brought by men who lived at St. Aloysius between 1969 and 1989. Several allege they were sexually abused by Rev. Robert McIntyre, with four lawsuits accusing him of rape. Other allegations involve Rev. Rene Guertin, who, along with McIntyre, helped lead the facility for many years.
The history of St. Aloysius has long raised concerns. During the 1970s, Rhode Island’s Department of Children, Youth and Families placed boys in state custody at the home. That arrangement ended in 1993 after 16 boys reported sexual abuse. The orphanage closed the following year.
The allegations against Ventre, McIntyre, and Guertin also mirror findings in Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s clergy abuse investigation, released earlier this year. The report identified 72 clergy members who were deemed credibly accused of sexually abusing children and described decades of institutional failures that allowed abuse to continue while victims remained unheard.
While the allegations in these lawsuits have not been proven in court, the survivors share a common message: the abuse they say they endured as children has affected every stage of their lives. Many describe lasting struggles with trust, relationships, mental health, and faith. For them, filing suit is not only about seeking accountability from the Diocese—it is also about reclaiming their voices after years or decades of silence.
As more survivors continue to come forward, Rhode Island’s revival law is providing an opportunity that many never believed they would have. Each lawsuit represents another person willing to revisit painful memories in the hope that the truth will be acknowledged, institutions will be held accountable, and future generations of children will be better protected.
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Sexual Abuse Lawyer for Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Victims
If you or a loved one were a victim of sexual abuse within the Rhode Island Dioceses, contact our firm today. Our law firm handles Rhode Island sexual abuse lawsuits and can help you understand how long you have to file a clergy abuse claim in the state of Rhode Island. Call us now at 1-800-941-7209 for a FREE and PRIVATE consultation.