Father John Crafton was a Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Society of St. Columban who has been credibly accused of sexually abusing a young girl during the 1960s while residing at the Columban seminary in Bristol, Rhode Island. His name appears on the Columban Order’s own credibly accused list, and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s March 2026 report confirmed that his allegations were reported to the Diocese of Providence, yet no meaningful action was taken. If you were harmed by Father Crafton or know someone who was, you are not alone, and what happened was not your fault. A sexual abuse lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights and take the next step toward justice.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Father John Crafton and What Did He Do in Rhode Island?
• The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report and Father Crafton’s Inclusion
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Gives Survivors a Path Forward
• How Institutional Failures Compound Survivors’ Harm
• What Survivors of Father Crafton’s Abuse Should Know About Filing a Claim
• FAQs About Father Crafton and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Father John Crafton and What Did He Do in Rhode Island?

Father John Crafton was a priest with the Missionary Society of St. Columban. The Missionary Society listed him on their credibly accused list. Born on July 31, 1913, and ordained on December 21, 1940, Crafton served within Rhode Island across multiple decades before his death on January 12, 1989.

Crafton was assigned from 1974 to 1976 to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Providence and in 1982 at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Pawtucket, as auxiliary chaplain. These assignments gave him ongoing access to Rhode Island communities long after the alleged abuse first occurred.

In June 1994, a woman told the Diocese of Providence that Crafton sexually abused her over six or seven years, beginning when she was about age 5 in the 1960s and he was living at the Columban Seminary in Bristol, Rhode Island. At least two other priests knew of the abuse and did nothing.

The alleged victim reported the abuse to the Diocese in 1994 and to the Columban Order, asking for them to pay for her psychiatric treatment after claiming that Crafton sexually abused her between the ages of 5 and 11, which “consisted of religious rituals that Father Crafton filmed.” She reported the abuse again in 2002, where she sought an apology and compensation for a lifetime of counseling, which the Columban Order denied.

There is no record that the allegations were ever forwarded to police. That failure to act, across multiple institutions, is exactly the kind of institutional cover-up that Rhode Island’s new law is now designed to address.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report and Father Crafton’s Inclusion

The Rhode Island Attorney General released a comprehensive report on March 4, 2026, of a multi-year investigation into clergy sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence. Father Crafton is specifically named in that report as a credibly accused priest who served within the Diocese but never appeared on the Diocese’s own credibly accused list.

The report’s enactment comes after Attorney General Peter F. Neronha 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. The report identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950.

The Attorney General’s report confirmed that the Diocese received the survivor’s complaint about Crafton in both 1994 and 2006. According to the report, there is no indication the Diocese investigated her allegations or referred them to law enforcement, likely because Crafton had died in 1989. That reasoning does not erase the institutional failure. The Diocese had a duty to investigate and act, regardless of whether the accused priest was still alive.

The Missionary Society of St. Columban publicly named Crafton as credibly accused by its U.S. Province on its list in February 2022, with one allegation of abuse noted, occurring in the 1960s. The fact that it took until 2022 for the Columban Order to publicly acknowledge this speaks to the decades-long pattern of silence that survivors have had to endure.

Survivors who were abused by clergy connected to the Diocese of Providence, including those associated with religious orders like the Columbans who operated within the Diocese, may have civil claims against the institutions that failed to protect them. Working with an experienced sexual assault lawyer is the best way to understand whether those claims apply to your situation.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Gives Survivors a Path Forward

Governor Dan McKee signed legislation amending the statute of limitations for child victim claims of sexual abuse and creating 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 (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Mark McKenney. It passed the Rhode Island Senate with a 37-0 vote and the House with a 68-4 vote, reflecting broad bipartisan support for giving survivors a real opportunity to be heard.

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.

In 2023, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the 2019 law only applied to suits against individual perpetrators, not the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. The new 2026 law directly addresses that gap. It specifically creates the revival window for claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up abuse, meaning the Diocese of Providence and similar organizations can now be held accountable in civil court.

For survivors of Father Crafton’s abuse, this law matters enormously. Even though Crafton died in 1989, the institutions that knew about his conduct and failed to act may still face civil liability during this window. Time is limited. The window closes on June 30, 2028, and claims not filed by that date may be permanently barred.

How Institutional Failures Compound Survivors’ Harm

The abuse Father Crafton allegedly committed did not happen in isolation. The survivor’s experience shows a pattern that appears throughout the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report: a child is abused, other adults know, and nothing is done. That silence causes harm that lasts far beyond the original abuse.

When a survivor reported what Crafton did, the Diocese received that report in 1994. She reported again in 2006. Neither report led to an investigation or a referral to law enforcement. The Columban Order denied her request for compensation for a lifetime of counseling. These responses sent a clear message to survivors: institutions prioritized their own reputation over the wellbeing of the people they harmed.

Attorney General Neronha 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. Father Crafton’s case fits that pattern directly. His allegations were reported twice to the Diocese, and there is no record of any meaningful response.

Rhode Island law recognizes that institutions can be held legally responsible for enabling or covering up abuse. A civil claim against an institution is separate from any criminal case against an individual abuser. Even when an abuser is deceased, a survivor may still have a civil claim against the organization that employed, supervised, or harbored that person. A qualified sexual assault attorney can evaluate the specific facts of your case and explain what legal options are available to you.

What Survivors of Father Crafton’s Abuse Should Know About Filing a Claim

If you were abused by Father Crafton, or by any other clergy member connected to the Diocese of Providence or the Missionary Society of St. Columban, the 2026 revival window may be the most important legal development of your lifetime. The window is open now, and it will close permanently on June 30, 2028.

Filing a civil claim does not require you to have reported the abuse to police. It does not require a criminal conviction. Many survivors were children when the abuse happened, and they carried that experience alone for years, sometimes decades. That is not a failure on your part. Research on trauma consistently shows that delayed disclosure is common among survivors of childhood sexual abuse, particularly when the abuser held a position of religious authority.

Rhode Island law also allows survivors to file lawsuits anonymously, using a Jane Doe or John Doe designation, in certain circumstances. This option exists specifically to protect survivors who fear public exposure. You do not have to choose between privacy and justice.

The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island. They understand the emotional weight of coming forward, and they approach every case with compassion and respect for the survivor’s experience. You can speak with an attorney in confidence, with no obligation to move forward unless you choose to. The first step is simply a conversation.

FAQs About Father Crafton and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Father Crafton died in 1989. Can I still file a civil claim related to his abuse?

Yes. When an individual abuser is deceased, civil claims can still be pursued against the institutions that employed, supervised, or harbored that person. Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A/S-2616A), effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year revival window specifically targeting institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The Diocese of Providence and the Missionary Society of St. Columban are both institutions that received reports about Crafton and, according to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, failed to act. An attorney can evaluate whether a claim against those institutions applies to your situation.

What does it mean that Father Crafton is on the Columban Order’s “credibly accused” list?

The Missionary Society of St. Columban’s credibly accused list identifies priests against whom the Order has determined there is a reasonable basis to believe the alleged abuse more likely than not occurred. Being named on that list is a formal acknowledgment by the religious organization itself that the allegations against Father Crafton have merit. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s March 2026 report also confirmed his inclusion, noting that the Diocese of Providence received reports about him in 1994 and 2006 and took no documented action.

How long do I have to file a claim under Rhode Island’s new 2026 law?

The revival window created by H-7200A/S-2616A, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, runs through June 30, 2028. That is a 24-month period during which survivors can file civil suits against institutions and supervisors for otherwise time-barred claims. Claims not filed before June 30, 2028 may be permanently barred. Because building a strong civil case takes time, survivors should contact an attorney as early as possible within that window.

Can I file a lawsuit anonymously if I was abused by Father Crafton or another priest?

Rhode Island courts allow survivors to file civil lawsuits using a Jane Doe or John Doe designation in certain circumstances, which protects your identity from public disclosure. This option is available to survivors who have legitimate concerns about privacy or public exposure. Whether anonymous filing is appropriate in your specific case depends on the facts and the court involved. An attorney can walk you through the process and help you understand your options before you make any decisions.

What should I do if I am not sure whether what happened to me qualifies as abuse?

You do not need to have a legal conclusion before speaking with an attorney. Many survivors struggle to name what happened to them, especially when the abuse was committed by someone in a position of religious authority. If a priest, deacon, or other clergy member engaged in any sexual contact with you as a child, or used religious rituals, filming, or other means to abuse you, those experiences deserve to be heard. Speaking with a compassionate attorney is a confidential, no-obligation step. What happened to you was not your fault, and you deserve to know your rights.

More Resources About Clergy Abuse

• Diocese of Providence Clergy Abuse
• Father John Abruzzese
• Father Raymond Allard
• Father Argencourt
• Father Azzarone
• Father Barnes
• Father Battel
• Father Belhumeur
• Father Bordignon
• Father Dennis Brodeur
• Father Campbell
• Father Carpentier
• Father Cavanaugh
• Father Charland
• Father Corbesero
• 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