Father Rene Guertin is one of the most deeply troubling figures named in Rhode Island’s clergy abuse investigation. He served in the Diocese of Providence for decades, held positions of direct authority over children at St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield and La Salle Academy in Providence, and has been credibly accused of sexually abusing at least five children, both boys and girls. If you were abused by Father Guertin, or by another priest or institution in the Diocese of Providence, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault. Rhode Island’s new law has opened a path to civil justice that did not exist before, and the attorneys at Sommers Schwartz are here to help you understand your options.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Father Rene Guertin and Where Did He Serve in Rhode Island?
• What Allegations Have Been Made Against Father Guertin?
• How the Diocese of Providence Responded, and What the Attorney General Found
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Guertin Survivors
• Why Survivors of Father Guertin Should Consider a Civil Claim
• FAQs About Father Guertin and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Father Rene Guertin and Where Did He Serve in Rhode Island?

Father Rene Guertin was a Roman Catholic priest ordained in the Diocese of Providence on June 15, 1946. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Credibly Accused Clergy list, he was born on January 20, 1919, and died on January 23, 1982. His assignments placed him in direct contact with vulnerable children throughout his ministry.

His assignment history is significant. He served at St. Andrew Church in New Shoreham in 1946. From 1946 through 1969, he was simultaneously assigned to St. Xavier Academy in Providence and to St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield, a residential institution for children. He also served at La Salle Academy in Providence from 1952 through 1969. His final assignment was at Our Lady of Good Help Church in Burrillville, where he served from 1969 until his retirement in 1980.

The breadth of these assignments matters. Two of the priests on the Diocese’s credibly accused list, the Rev. Rene Guertin and Father Robert McIntyre, were directors at St. Aloysius for decades. That role gave Guertin sustained, institutional authority over children who had no parents or guardians present to protect them. Survivors of abuse at St. Aloysius Home, La Salle Academy, Our Lady of Good Help Church, and other locations connected to Guertin’s ministry may have legal claims worth pursuing today.

If any of these locations or assignments are familiar to you, please know that your experience deserves to be heard. A sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can review your situation confidentially and help you understand what legal options may be available.

What Allegations Have Been Made Against Father Guertin?

The allegations against Father Guertin are serious, documented, and span multiple locations and decades. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, released on March 4, 2026, shows that Guertin was accused of the sexual abuse of at least five children, boys and girls. These are not isolated claims. They reflect a pattern of abuse that extended across his entire ministry.

Most of the abuse is said to have occurred at St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield, where Guertin was assigned from 1946 to 1969. In 2007, a woman reported to the Diocese that Guertin raped and physically abused her for seven years while he was assigned to Our Lady of Good Help in Burrillville, beginning when she was 10 years old in 1970. She said that she would often cook and clean at the rectory and spend the night, and that Guertin would recruit other children from the parish to help in the rectory.

In 2014, a woman told the Diocese that she was sexually abused at St. Aloysius Home by Guertin from age 4 to 7. She said that a nun would deliver her to his room and wait outside the door. In 2015, her sister described a similar scenario, and added that Guertin would give her candy after abusing her and that the nun who delivered her to his room would take the candy from her while leading her back to her bed.

Diocesan records show that in 1973, a parishioner reported to the Diocese that Guertin was living with a young girl in the parish rectory. This report was made to the Diocese while Guertin was still active in ministry, yet he continued to serve until 1980. The pattern of reported abuse, combined with Guertin’s continued access to children, raises serious questions about what the Diocese knew and when.

Reading these accounts can be painful, especially if you lived through something similar. You do not have to carry this alone. The team at Sommers Schwartz is ready to listen without judgment.

How the Diocese of Providence Responded, and What the Attorney General Found

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office released its Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence on March 4, 2026. The report was the result of a years-long investigation and is one of the most comprehensive examinations of institutional clergy abuse ever conducted in New England.

The report 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 sweeping investigation reviewed more than 250,000 pages of church records dating back to 1950, exposing what investigators described as a culture of secrecy, denial, and cover-ups. Investigators concluded that diocesan leaders often moved accused priests between parishes, sent them to treatment centers, or quietly removed them from public view rather than reporting allegations to police. The result, the report says, was that predator priests were allowed to remain in ministry and continue abusing children.

Father Guertin’s case fits this pattern. He was assigned to St. Aloysius Home for more than two decades, and then transferred to Our Lady of Good Help in Burrillville, where additional abuse is alleged to have occurred. Diocesan records show that in 1973, a parishioner reported to the Diocese that Guertin was living with a young girl in the parish rectory, yet he remained in active ministry for seven more years. That failure to act is precisely the kind of institutional conduct that Rhode Island’s new law is designed to address.

Survivors who experienced abuse connected to diocesan institutions, including schools, residential homes, and parishes, may have claims not only against individual priests but also against the Diocese itself. Working with a knowledgeable sexual abuse lawyer is the most important step you can take to understand what those claims might look like in your specific situation.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Guertin Survivors

Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law, H-7200A/S-2616A, was signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and took effect on July 1, 2026. 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 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 direct response to a painful reality that many survivors know well: trauma delays disclosure, and the old legal deadlines closed the courthouse door on people who were not ready to come forward years or decades earlier.

The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities, and sports leagues, as well as supervisors. That means survivors of abuse at St. Aloysius Home, a residential institution under diocesan oversight, and at parish settings like Our Lady of Good Help in Burrillville, may now have a legal path to hold the Diocese of Providence accountable, not just the individual priest.

For survivors of Father Guertin’s abuse, this window is significant. Many of the reported incidents occurred in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Under prior law, most of those claims would have been permanently time-barred. The revival window changes that. Older survivors now in their 60s or 70s are being given a chance to sue. That window is only temporary for those survivors who missed their opportunity. The deadline to file is June 30, 2028.

Do not wait to find out whether your claim qualifies. Reaching out to a sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz now gives you the time to gather information, understand your rights, and make an informed decision before the window closes.

Why Survivors of Father Guertin Should Consider a Civil Claim

A civil lawsuit is different from a criminal case. You do not need a criminal conviction, a police report, or physical evidence to pursue a civil claim. The standard of proof is lower, and the goal is accountability and compensation, not incarceration. Many survivors find that the civil process gives them a sense of agency and a formal recognition that what happened to them was wrong.

Father Guertin died on January 23, 1982. That fact does not end your legal options. Rhode Island’s revival window specifically targets institutions and supervisors, meaning the Diocese of Providence, which oversaw Guertin’s assignments for decades, is a potential defendant. The Diocese had direct authority over where Guertin served. It received reports of concerning behavior. And it continued to place him in roles with access to children.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Appendix A contains summaries of 72 clergy determined to have been credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence, based on the totality of information in the Attorney General’s possession. Guertin is among those 72. His inclusion reflects a formal finding that the allegations against him meet a credible threshold, and that documentation can be meaningful in a civil proceeding.

Civil claims can also address the full scope of harm you have experienced, including the long-term psychological, emotional, and physical effects of childhood sexual abuse. Survivors of institutional abuse often carry these effects for decades. A civil case can create a record, provide financial resources for ongoing care, and hold institutions responsible for the choices they made.

The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island. They understand the courage it takes to come forward, and they approach every case with compassion and discretion. You will never be judged or questioned about why it took this long. The law now recognizes what trauma researchers have understood for years: healing takes time, and justice should not have an arbitrary expiration date.

FAQs About Father Guertin and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

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

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law, H-7200A/S-2616A, is specifically designed to allow claims against institutions and supervisors, not just individual perpetrators. Because Father Guertin served under the authority of the Diocese of Providence for his entire ministry, the Diocese itself may be held civilly liable for enabling or failing to stop his abuse. The fact that Guertin has died does not close the door on your claim against the institution that placed him in positions of trust over children.

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

The two-year revival window opened on July 1, 2026, and closes on June 30, 2028. Any previously time-barred claim against an institution or supervisor must be filed before that date. After June 30, 2028, those claims will be permanently barred. If you believe you were abused by Father Guertin or another Diocese of Providence priest, contacting an attorney as soon as possible gives you the best chance to build and file your case before the deadline.

What if I was abused at St. Aloysius Home and I am not sure whether my claim involves Father Guertin specifically?

You do not need to identify a specific priest to begin the process. St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield has been connected to multiple credibly accused clergy, and the Diocese of Providence oversaw the facility. If you experienced sexual abuse there as a child, your claim may involve the institution’s failure to protect you, regardless of which individual committed the abuse. An attorney can help you review the facts and determine which parties may be responsible.

Does it matter that the abuse happened decades ago, in the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s?

Not under the new revival window. Rhode Island’s H-7200A/S-2616A specifically allows survivors to bring claims for abuse that occurred at any point in the past, as long as the lawsuit is filed between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2028. The law was written precisely because the legislature recognized that childhood sexual abuse survivors often need decades before they are ready to come forward, and that the old deadlines were unfair to those survivors.

How do I get started with a claim, and what should I expect from the process?

The first step is a confidential consultation with an attorney who handles clergy sexual abuse cases. At Sommers Schwartz, that conversation is private, free of charge, and carries no obligation. You can share as much or as little as you are comfortable sharing. Your attorney will listen, explain your legal options in plain terms, and help you decide whether filing a claim makes sense for you. You will never be pressured, and you will never be blamed for what happened. The only goal is to make sure you have the information you need to make the best decision for yourself.

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 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