Brother Roger C. Argencourt, also known as Brother Odillion, was a member of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart religious order who stands credibly accused of sexually abusing students at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. His name appears in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s comprehensive report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence, released in March 2026. If you were a student at Mount Saint Charles or Bishop Guertin High School and experienced abuse at the hands of Brother Argencourt or anyone connected to his religious order, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault. Rhode Island law now gives you a real path to civil justice, and the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz are ready to walk that path with you.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Brother Roger C. Argencourt and What Did He Do?
• How the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report Exposed Institutional Failures
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Two-Year Window for Survivors
• What Survivors of Brother Argencourt Can Do Right Now
• Why Sommers Schwartz Is the Right Choice for Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Survivors
• FAQs About Brother Roger Argencourt and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Brother Roger C. Argencourt and What Did He Do?

Roger Argencourt, also known as Brother Odillion, was a member of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. His documented assignment history includes Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, New Hampshire from 1972 to 1978, Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket from 1981 to 1986, and a return to Bishop Guertin High School from 1986 until his death in 2002.

He allegedly sexually assaulted an eighth-grade boy during the 1985 to 1986 school year at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, Argencourt performed oral sex on the complainant after luring him to the school’s basement under the pretext of carrying school supplies.

In early 2002, the complainant reported the abuse to the Woonsocket Police Department. Both the police and the Attorney General’s office investigated, but Argencourt died suddenly in September 2002 before the matter could be presented to a grand jury. That death cut off any criminal prosecution, but it does not erase the harm done to survivors or eliminate the possibility of civil accountability against the institutions that employed and supervised him.

Around the same time the Rhode Island complaint became public, Argencourt was also publicly accused of sexually abusing several male students at Bishop Guertin High School in New Hampshire, where he taught both before and after his time at Mount Saint Charles. The pattern of abuse stretched across two states and multiple school settings, all within the same Brothers of the Sacred Heart religious order.

Argencourt was not on the Diocese’s credibly accused list at the time of the original diocesan disclosures, a fact that underscores how institutions can obscure the full scope of abuse when left to police themselves.

How the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report Exposed Institutional Failures

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, released in March 2026, accused the Catholic Diocese of Providence of a “well-worn pattern” of failing to remove dozens of priests accused of child sexual abuse and keeping the abuse secret over decades. Argencourt’s case is a direct example of that pattern.

The report identified approximately 75 clergy members with credible allegations involving more than 300 minor children and described patterns in which accused clergy were reassigned and allegations were inconsistently reported to authorities. Argencourt moved between Rhode Island and New Hampshire schools over a span of decades, with abuse allegedly occurring at both locations.

The report also found that Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket was one of several Catholic schools identified as locations of reported clergy abuse. Priests and brothers assigned to these schools reportedly used their authority to remove children from classes and then abused them in isolated settings, exactly the kind of grooming behavior Argencourt allegedly used when he brought a student to the school’s basement.

The fact that Argencourt was not on the Diocese’s credibly accused list until the Attorney General’s investigation compelled a fuller accounting speaks volumes. Survivors who reported abuse at Catholic schools in Rhode Island were not always believed, and institutions did not always act. That silence had real consequences for real people. The Attorney General’s report, and the law it helped inspire, exist precisely because those consequences can no longer be ignored.

For survivors who were abused in Catholic school settings like Mount Saint Charles, working with an experienced sexual abuse lawyer is the most effective way to understand whether a civil claim against the school, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, or the Diocese of Providence may still be possible.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Two-Year Window for Survivors

Rhode Island’s new law amends the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of a child and creates a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The new law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

The legislation, known as 2026-H 7200A and 2026-S 2616A, was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Senator Mark McKenney. Governor Dan McKee signed it into law on June 11, 2026.

The new law establishes a two-year civil revival window that opens from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired.

Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse. The statute of limitations begins running when the survivor turns 18.

In 2023, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that a prior 2019 law only applied to suits against individual perpetrators, not the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. The 2026 law directly corrects that gap. The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities, and sports leagues, as well as supervisors.

For survivors of Brother Argencourt’s abuse, this is a critical development. Even though Argencourt himself is deceased, civil claims can still potentially be brought against the institutions and supervisors who placed him in positions of authority over children and failed to act on warning signs. The window is open now, but it will not stay open forever.

What Survivors of Brother Argencourt Can Do Right Now

If you were abused by Brother Argencourt at Mount Saint Charles Academy or at Bishop Guertin High School, you have legal options that did not exist before July 1, 2026. The revival window created by H-7200A and S-2616A is designed for exactly this situation: survivors whose claims were previously blocked by time limits now have a defined period to pursue civil justice against the institutions and supervisors responsible for enabling abuse.

Civil claims in cases like this often focus on institutional liability. The question is not just what Argencourt did, but what the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the schools, and any supervising entities knew or should have known, and what they failed to do. When a religious order moves a member from one school to another while abuse allegations exist, that decision can form the basis of a civil negligence or institutional liability claim.

A civil lawsuit is separate from any criminal process. Because Argencourt died in 2002, criminal prosecution was never possible. But civil law allows survivors to pursue accountability through the courts against the organizations that gave him access to children. This kind of accountability can also help protect future generations by forcing institutions to acknowledge what happened.

You do not need to have filed a police report. You do not need to have told anyone at the time. Many survivors carry their experiences silently for years, and that silence does not disqualify you from pursuing a claim. Speaking with a sexual assault lawyer who understands Rhode Island’s new law is the right first step.

The team at Sommers Schwartz handles these cases with care, discretion, and deep knowledge of Rhode Island civil law. We represent survivors, not institutions. Your story matters, and we are here to listen.

Why Sommers Schwartz Is the Right Choice for Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Survivors

Sommers Schwartz is a multi-state law firm with attorneys who represent survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault in Rhode Island and across the country. We understand the unique legal issues raised by clergy abuse cases, including how religious orders are structured, how institutional liability works, and how to build a case even when the individual abuser is deceased.

Cases involving the Diocese of Providence, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and Catholic schools like Mount Saint Charles Academy require attorneys who know how to work through institutional records, diocesan files, and the findings of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report. The report is a powerful tool in civil litigation because it documents credible allegations, assignment histories, and institutional responses in detail. Our attorneys know how to use that information on your behalf.

We also understand that coming forward is one of the hardest things a survivor can do. You may have spent years wondering whether anyone would believe you, or whether it was too late. Rhode Island’s new law answers both of those concerns. It is not too late. The revival window is open, and you have until June 30, 2028 to file a claim for previously time-barred abuse.

Our firm handles these cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There is no financial barrier to getting answers. Whether you experienced abuse at a Catholic school, a parish, a youth program, or another institutional setting, our attorneys are prepared to evaluate your situation and explain your rights under current Rhode Island law.

Reaching out to a compassionate and knowledgeable sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz costs nothing and carries no obligation. A confidential conversation with our team can help you understand exactly where you stand and what options are available to you under H-7200A and S-2616A.

FAQs About Brother Roger Argencourt and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Can I still file a civil lawsuit against an institution for Brother Argencourt’s abuse even though he is deceased?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law, H-7200A and S-2616A, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, allows survivors to bring civil claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. Even though Argencourt died in 2002, the organizations that placed him in schools and supervised his work may still face civil liability. The two-year revival window runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, giving survivors a defined period to pursue these claims.

What does the Rhode Island two-year revival window actually cover?

The revival window created by H-7200A and S-2616A temporarily lifts the statute of limitations for otherwise time-barred civil claims of childhood sexual abuse. It allows survivors to file lawsuits against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up abuse, even if the deadline to sue had already passed under prior law. The window is open from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. Claims not filed by June 30, 2028 may be permanently barred.

Do I need to have reported the abuse to police to file a civil claim?

No. A prior police report is not required to pursue a civil lawsuit. Many survivors never reported their abuse to law enforcement, and that decision does not disqualify you from bringing a civil claim. Civil and criminal cases are entirely separate legal processes. What matters in a civil case is the evidence of what happened and the role institutions played in allowing it. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can evaluate your situation confidentially and at no cost to you.

What is the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and why does it matter to my claim?

The Brothers of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic religious order that operated schools in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, including Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket. Brother Argencourt was a member of this order. In civil litigation involving clergy abuse, the religious order that employed and supervised an accused member can potentially be held liable if it knew or should have known about a risk of abuse and failed to act. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report documents the institutional context in which this abuse occurred, which is relevant evidence in any civil claim.

How do I know if my claim qualifies under Rhode Island’s new law?

The best way to find out is to speak directly with an attorney who handles Rhode Island clergy abuse claims. Rhode Island’s new law under H-7200A and S-2616A covers survivors of childhood sexual abuse whose claims were previously time-barred, including claims against institutions and supervisors. Every survivor’s situation is different, and the specific facts of your experience, when it occurred, where it occurred, and who was involved, all affect whether and how you can proceed. Sommers Schwartz offers confidential, no-cost consultations for survivors who want to understand their legal options.

More Resources About Clergy Abuse

• Diocese of Providence Clergy Abuse
• Father John Abruzzese
• Father Raymond Allard
• Father Azzarone
• Father Barnes
• Father Battel
• Father Belhumeur
• Father Bordignon
• Father Dennis Brodeur
• Father Campbell
• Father Carpentier
• Father Cavanaugh
• Father Charland
• Father Corbesero
• Father Crafton
• Father D’Angelo
• Father DeAngelis
• Father Louis Demers
• Father Albert Desrosiers
• Father Paul Desrosiers
• Father Diogo
• Father Dolan
• Father Doran
• Father Dunn
• Father Dziob
• Father Edes
• Father Feeney
• Father Oscar Ferland
• Father Ferry
• Father Fitzgerald
• Father Flanagan
• Father Gagnon
• Father Gillooly
• Father Gorton
• Father Guertin
• Father Holden
• Father James Jackson
• Father Edward Kelley
• Father Lacasse
• Father LaMountain
• Father Leboeuf
• Father Paul Henry Leech
• Father Lepire
• Father Lonardo
• Father Philip Magaldi
• Father Manu
• Father Normand Marcantonio
• Father Joseph McCra
• Father McIntyre
• Father Meehan
• Father Meglio
• Father Menard
• Father Micarelli
• Father O’Connell
• Father J.F. O’Neil
• Father W. O’Neill
• Father Powers
• Father Rafferty
• Father Raiche
• Father Reynolds
• Father Rocha
• Father Sadowski
• Father Santagata
• Father Francis Santilli
• Father John Scagnelli
• Father Smyth
• Father Tanguay
• Father Tedeschi
• Father Tormey
• Father Tousignant
• Father Turillo
• Father Ventre