Father Edward Kelley served as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Providence for decades, moving through parishes across Rhode Island from 1968 until his retirement in 2013. He is now formally identified as a credibly accused child sexual abuser. If you or someone you love suffered abuse at his hands, you are not alone, and what happened was not your fault. Rhode Island’s new law has opened a path to civil justice that did not exist before. A sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights and decide whether to move forward.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Father Edward Kelley and Where Did He Serve in Rhode Island?
• What Allegations Were Made Against Father Edward Kelley?
• How Did the Diocese of Providence Respond to Kelley’s Abuse?
• What Happened to Father Kelley Criminally and Why the Civil Path Still Matters
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for Kelley Survivors
• How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Survivors of Father Edward Kelley
• FAQs About Father Edward Kelley and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Father Edward Kelley and Where Did He Serve in Rhode Island?

Father Edward Kelley was born on March 21, 1942, and ordained as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Providence on June 8, 1968. The Rhode Island Attorney General determined that Kelley was among the 72 clergy credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence. His assignment history stretched across more than a dozen Rhode Island parishes over 45 years.

According to records published by the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, Kelley served at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Narragansett, St. Catherine Church in Warwick, St. John the Evangelist Church in North Smithfield, St. James Church in Manville, St. Joseph Church in Pascoag, St. Matthew Church in Cranston, St. Joseph Hospital in Providence, St. Margaret Church in East Providence, St. John Church in Slaterville, Our Lady of Consolation Church in Pawtucket, St. Agatha Church in Woonsocket, St. Aidan Church in Cumberland, and the United States Army Chaplain Corps. His faculties were revoked in 2015.

That breadth of placement is significant. It means survivors from communities across Rhode Island, from Cranston to Woonsocket to East Providence, may have encountered Kelley during his active ministry. The Diocese moved him repeatedly, a pattern that the Rhode Island Attorney General’s investigation found was common among credibly accused priests in the Diocese of Providence.

The Diocese was aware in 1978 of Kelley’s “moral problems.” As a result, he was assigned as a hospital chaplain for a short while, then returned to parish ministry. That decision had consequences. Rather than removing him from access to children, the Diocese placed him back into parish settings where he continued to serve.

In 1979, the parents of a teenage boy asked that Kelley meet with their son only in public spaces or with others present, and not one-on-one. In 1982, Kelley became the legal guardian of a 14-year-old boy, who stayed with him in the rectory. These facts, drawn from the Attorney General’s investigation, show a pattern of concerning behavior that the Diocese failed to stop.

What Allegations Were Made Against Father Edward Kelley?

The allegations against Father Edward Kelley are serious, specific, and supported by a Rhode Island grand jury indictment. On May 5, 2021, a Statewide Grand Jury returned an indictment charging former Smithfield priest Edward Kelley with multiple counts of sexual assault. The charges related to alleged conduct at St. John’s Church in Slatersville (North Smithfield) in 1983.

The Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence details additional allegations beyond the criminal indictment. According to that report, Kelley reportedly met his 14-year-old victim in 1976 while serving as a Boy Scouts Troop Chaplain. The alleged abuse began with grooming behaviors, including pinching, sexual jokes, and conversations about masturbation, and escalated to repeated sexual contact. That same victim was later found dead from an apparent suicide.

The report also describes a 1987 diocesan investigation into claims that Kelley was residing with a boy in the rectory of St. Agatha Church in Woonsocket. During that investigation, a parish employee reported that Kelley had described organizing “lock-ins” with Boy Scouts where he locked the door and had the youth strip naked under the guise of teaching them about hypothermia prevention. These are classic grooming tactics, designed to normalize boundary violations and isolate children from adults who might protect them.

The Attorney General’s Report, released on March 4, 2026, shows Kelley to be the subject of allegations of the sexual abuse of three children. Kelley’s accuser said he lived in rectories with Kelley as a boy in the 1980s, that it had been reported to diocesan officials, but that he continued living with Kelley. He also said another boy who was “close” to Kelley as a boy died by suicide in adulthood.

These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned years and involved multiple victims across multiple assignments.

How Did the Diocese of Providence Respond to Kelley’s Abuse?

The Diocese of Providence’s response to Father Edward Kelley’s alleged abuse followed a pattern that the Rhode Island Attorney General’s investigation found throughout the Diocese: awareness, inaction, and continued access to children. The Diocese knew about concerns involving Kelley as early as 1978, yet returned him to parish ministry.

The Diocese did not include Kelley on its Credibly Accused List when that list was originally released in 2019. It was only after his grand jury indictment in 2021 that the Diocese added him to the list in 2022. That delay is consistent with what the Attorney General’s report described as a broader institutional failure. The attorney general’s report says that for years, successive bishops focused more on protecting the Church rather than holding credibly accused priests accountable.

For decades, the Diocese of Providence engaged in a well-worn pattern of protecting the reputation of the Church and its priests over the welfare of children. They failed to report the abuse to civil authorities, failed to properly investigate those complaints internally, and failed to remove accused priests from positions where they had access to even more children.

In the Kelley case specifically, the Diocese’s own investigation in 1987 surfaced disturbing information about his conduct with Boy Scouts, yet he remained in active ministry until at least 1992. He was later permitted to serve as a U.S. Army chaplain and continued in ministry until his faculties were finally revoked in 2015, decades after the first known warning signs.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, released on March 4, 2026, directly credited the investigation with adding Kelley to the credibly accused list. The Office proposed important legislative reforms intended to ensure greater accountability for child sexual abusers and their enablers. Those reforms ultimately became law in June 2026.

What Happened to Father Kelley Criminally and Why the Civil Path Still Matters

Father Edward Kelley faced criminal prosecution, but the case never reached a verdict. On May 5, 2021, Kelley was indicted on three counts for his actions alleged to have occurred in 1983. In February 2022, Kelley was found by the Court to be incompetent to stand trial. He died on September 26, 2022, and the criminal case was dismissed as required by state law.

The closure of the criminal case does not close the door on civil accountability. Criminal and civil law operate independently. A criminal case requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt and targets the individual defendant. A civil lawsuit operates under a lower standard of proof and, critically, can target the institutions and supervisors who enabled the abuse, not just the perpetrator himself.

This distinction matters enormously for survivors of Father Kelley’s alleged abuse. Because Kelley is deceased, a criminal prosecution is no longer possible. But the Diocese of Providence, as the institution that employed him, assigned him, and received warnings about his conduct, remains a potential defendant in a civil action. Civil claims against institutions like the Diocese can hold those organizations financially accountable for the harm their failures caused.

Working with a knowledgeable sexual abuse lawyer who understands the specific facts of the Kelley case and the Diocese’s documented response is essential to evaluating what claims may be available to you. The legal path forward depends on the specific facts of each survivor’s experience and timing, which is exactly the kind of analysis the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz can provide.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for Kelley Survivors

Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law is a direct response to the scale of abuse documented in the Diocese of Providence, including cases like Father Edward Kelley’s. The 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 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. This is a critical development for many Kelley survivors, whose abuse occurred in the 1970s and 1980s and whose claims would otherwise be permanently barred.

The legislation (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Mark McKenney. Governor Dan McKee signed it into law on June 11, 2026. 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 who were previously told their claims were too old to pursue, this law changes the calculation entirely. The revival window applies specifically to claims against institutions and supervisors, which is exactly the type of claim most relevant when the individual abuser, like Father Kelley, is deceased. The Diocese of Providence, as the institution that supervised Kelley and received documented warnings about his behavior, is the kind of entity this law was designed to hold accountable.

Time matters under this law. The window runs only through June 30, 2028. Contacting a sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz now gives you time to gather information, evaluate your options, and file before that deadline passes.

How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Survivors of Father Edward Kelley

Survivors of Father Edward Kelley’s alleged abuse deserve to be heard, believed, and supported through every step of the legal process. At Sommers Schwartz, our attorneys represent sexual abuse survivors across Rhode Island and understand the specific facts surrounding the Diocese of Providence’s handling of credibly accused clergy.

We know that coming forward is one of the hardest decisions a survivor can make. You may have carried this for decades. You may have been told no one would believe you, or that it was too late to do anything. Neither of those things is true. Rhode Island’s new revival window law exists precisely because lawmakers recognized that survivors of institutional abuse often need more time, and that the institutions responsible for enabling that abuse must be held accountable.

When you contact Sommers Schwartz, you will speak with an attorney who listens without judgment, explains your options in plain language, and tells you honestly what your case may involve. We handle clergy sexual abuse cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. You do not need to have a police report, a prior lawsuit, or any prior legal experience to speak with us.

The facts surrounding Father Kelley, his assignments, the Diocese’s knowledge of his conduct, and the institutional failures that allowed the abuse to continue, are exactly the kinds of facts that support civil claims against the Diocese under Rhode Island law. The two-year revival window created by H-7200A/S-2616A is open now. Do not wait until the deadline is close to reach out. Call Sommers Schwartz today for a free, confidential consultation.

FAQs About Father Edward Kelley and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Father Kelley is deceased. Can I still file a civil lawsuit related to his abuse?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A/S-2616A), effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year revival window specifically for claims against institutions and supervisors who enabled or covered up sexual abuse. Because Father Kelley is deceased, your civil claim would focus on the Diocese of Providence as the institution that supervised him, assigned him to parishes, and received documented warnings about his conduct. The individual abuser does not need to be alive for an institutional civil claim to proceed.

What is the deadline to file a claim under Rhode Island’s new lookback window law?

The revival window opened on July 1, 2026, and closes on June 30, 2028. If your claim was previously time-barred under the old statute of limitations, you must file before that date or the claim may be permanently lost. Two years sounds like a long time, but building a civil case takes time. Speaking with an attorney as early as possible gives you the best chance of meeting that deadline with a strong claim.

What if I never reported the abuse to police or the Diocese? Does that affect my civil claim?

No. You do not need a prior police report, a prior complaint to the Diocese, or any prior legal action to file a civil lawsuit. Many survivors of clergy abuse never reported to authorities, for reasons that are completely understandable, including fear, shame, disbelief, or not realizing at the time that what happened to them was abuse. None of that disqualifies you from pursuing a civil claim. What matters is your experience and the facts surrounding the institution’s role in enabling that experience.

What does “credibly accused” mean, and does it affect my case?

The term “credibly accused” is used by the Diocese of Providence and the Rhode Island Attorney General to describe clergy against whom there are credible allegations of child sexual misconduct, based on a review of records, victim accounts, and other evidence. Father Kelley was added to the Diocese’s credibly accused list in 2022, following his grand jury indictment. This designation does not mean a court found him guilty, but it does reflect that multiple sources of evidence supported the allegations against him. In a civil case, this designation, combined with the documented history of the Diocese’s knowledge of his conduct, is relevant to claims against the institution.

How do I know if what Father Kelley did to me qualifies as sexual abuse under Rhode Island law?

Rhode Island law defines child sexual abuse broadly and includes a wide range of unwanted sexual contact, sexual exploitation, and grooming behaviors involving minors. You do not need to have experienced what you might consider “severe” abuse for your experience to qualify legally. The documented conduct attributed to Father Kelley, including grooming, sexual touching, and sexual assault, covers a spectrum of behavior. The best way to know whether your specific experience qualifies is to speak confidentially with an attorney. Sommers Schwartz offers free, no-pressure consultations and will never judge what you share.

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 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 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