Father Adrien Menard was a Roman Catholic priest who served in the Diocese of Providence for three decades. He is named on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual abuse. His story is not just about one man’s actions. It is also about a system that, according to the Attorney General’s 2026 report, repeatedly failed to protect children. If you were abused by Father Menard or by another priest he supervised, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Father Adrien Menard and What Did He Do?
• Father Menard’s Role as Pastor: Enabling and Concealing Abuse
• Rhode Island’s 2026 Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Menard Survivors
• The Attorney General’s 2026 Report and the Broader Diocese of Providence Abuse Crisis
• Your Legal Rights as a Survivor: How Sommers Schwartz Can Help
• FAQs About Father Adrien Menard and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Father Adrien Menard and What Did He Do?

Father Adrien Menard was born on September 4, 1922, ordained on June 15, 1946, and died on February 1, 1976. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, he is among the 75 clergy members determined to have been credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence. The term “credibly accused,” as defined by the Attorney General, means there is a reasonable basis to believe the alleged conduct more likely than not occurred.

Menard served at multiple parishes across Rhode Island throughout his priesthood. His assignment history, as documented in the Attorney General’s report, includes St. Peter Church in Warwick (1946–1947), Sacred Heart Church in Central Falls (1947 and again 1949–1960), St. Lawrence Church in North Providence (1947–1948), St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church in Burrillville (1948–1949), Notre Dame High School and Sacred Heart Academy in Central Falls (1949–1960), St. Joseph Church in Woonsocket (1960–1971), and St. Joan of Arc Church in Cumberland (1971–1976). This means he had access to children in schools and parishes across several Rhode Island communities for roughly 30 years.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s March 2026 report shows that allegations of abuse were reported to Father Menard while he was pastor at St. Joseph Church in Woonsocket, and no apparent action was taken. Menard was later also credibly accused of child sexual abuse himself. The Diocese of Providence added him to its public list of credibly accused clergy in July 2019, naming him publicly as accused, with the allegation received after his death.

Father Menard’s Role as Pastor: Enabling and Concealing Abuse

The allegations against Father Menard go beyond his own conduct. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report raises serious questions about his role as a supervisor who may have known about abuse and failed to stop it. This is a pattern the Attorney General’s office described as systemic across the Diocese of Providence.

The March 2026 report by 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. Menard, as a pastor, held authority over other priests in his parish. When abuse was reported to him and no action followed, that inaction had real consequences for real children.

In 1995, the Diocese received a report from a woman stating that her son told her Father Albert Desrosiers had sexually abused him as a boy in the early 1960s. The mother had reported the abuse to Father Menard, and Menard apologized but took no further action. The Attorney General’s report documents that Desrosiers was accused of sexually abusing two boys during that same period at St. Joseph’s in Woonsocket, where Menard served as pastor. This is exactly the kind of institutional failure that Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law was designed to address. If you were abused by any priest under Menard’s supervision, or if Menard himself abused you, a sexual abuse lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand whether you have a claim against the institution, not just the individual priest.

Rhode Island’s 2026 Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Menard Survivors

Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026, changes the legal options available to survivors in a significant way. 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 critical for survivors of Father Menard’s abuse. Because Menard died in 1976, many survivors assumed their legal options had expired long ago. This law reopens the door, specifically for claims against institutions and supervisors, meaning the Diocese of Providence itself may now face civil liability for what it knew and failed to do.

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 2026 law directly addresses that gap. The legislation (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Mark McKenney. For survivors of clergy abuse in Rhode Island, this is the most meaningful legal development in years. If you believe your claim was time-barred, that may no longer be true. Speaking with a sexual assault lawyer now is the right first step.

The Attorney General’s 2026 Report and the Broader Diocese of Providence Abuse Crisis

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s March 4, 2026 report is the most comprehensive accounting of clergy sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence ever made public. The report identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. Father Menard is one of those 75. His inclusion reflects both his own credibly accused status and his documented failure to act when abuse was reported to him.

Appendix A of the report contains summaries of 72 clergy determined by the Attorney General to have been credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence, based on law enforcement records, records of criminal and civil proceedings, victim and witness interviews, and publicly available information. Menard’s entry appears in that appendix, alongside dozens of other priests whose assignments and alleged conduct are documented in detail.

The pattern described in the report is consistent across many priests. Accused clergy were moved between parishes, placed in roles with continued access to children, and shielded from public scrutiny. The Attorney General’s report describes how bishops reassigned accused priests to settings that were “sequestered from the general public and far less likely to complain,” while those priests still had proximity to children. Father Menard’s assignments at Notre Dame High School and Sacred Heart Academy in Central Falls, during the same period abuse allegations were later reported, fit this broader institutional pattern. A sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can review the specific facts of your situation and help you understand how the Attorney General’s findings may support your claim.

Your Legal Rights as a Survivor: How Sommers Schwartz Can Help

Coming forward is one of the hardest things a survivor can do. You may have spent years, even decades, trying to put what happened behind you. You may have believed the law was no longer on your side. The 2026 revival window changes that, and you deserve to know your options.

Sommers Schwartz represents survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault across Rhode Island and multiple states. The attorneys at the firm understand that every survivor’s experience is different. They approach each case with care, discretion, and a genuine commitment to accountability. You will never be judged, pressured, or made to feel that what happened was your fault. It was not.

If you were abused by Father Menard, or if you reported abuse to him and he failed to protect you or another child, you may have a viable civil claim under Rhode Island’s new law. That claim may be against the Diocese of Providence as an institution, against supervisors who knew and did nothing, or both. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. That deadline is real, and it is approaching. Waiting is the one thing that could permanently close the door on your legal options.

Sommers Schwartz offers confidential consultations for survivors. You can reach the firm by phone or through the contact form on sommerspc.com. The conversation is private, there is no obligation, and you do not need to have all the answers before you call. The attorneys will listen, explain what the law allows, and help you decide what, if anything, you want to do next.

FAQs About Father Adrien Menard and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Was Father Adrien Menard officially named as a credibly accused priest by the Rhode Island Attorney General?

Yes. Father Adrien Menard is included in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of clergy credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence. The Attorney General’s office defines “credibly accused” as meaning there is a reasonable basis to believe the alleged conduct more likely than not occurred. His name appears in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s March 2026 report, which also documents allegations that abuse was reported to him while he served as pastor and that he failed to act.

Can I still file a lawsuit related to Father Menard even though he died in 1976?

Rhode Island’s 2026 child sexual abuse law (H-7200A/S-2616A), signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year window for survivors to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. Because the claim is against an institution like the Diocese of Providence, not just the individual priest, the fact that Menard is deceased does not necessarily bar your claim. A Sommers Schwartz attorney can evaluate whether this window applies to your specific situation.

What does the two-year revival window actually cover?

The revival window, which runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, allows survivors to file civil lawsuits against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up child sexual abuse, even if the statute of limitations on those claims had previously expired. This means survivors who previously believed they had no legal recourse against the Diocese of Providence or other institutions may now have a limited window to pursue those claims. The window is temporary, and claims not filed by June 30, 2028 may be permanently barred.

What if I reported the abuse to Father Menard at the time and he did nothing?

If you reported abuse to Father Menard and he failed to take action, that failure may itself form part of a civil claim against the Diocese of Providence. Rhode Island’s 2026 law specifically targets institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. A supervisor’s inaction in the face of a known allegation is exactly the type of conduct the law was designed to address. Sommers Schwartz can review the facts of your case and help you understand whether a claim based on institutional failure applies to your situation.

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

No. A civil lawsuit is separate from a criminal case, and you do not need to have reported the abuse to law enforcement to pursue a civil claim. Many survivors never reported their abuse to police, for reasons that are deeply personal and completely understandable. Rhode Island civil law allows survivors to bring claims based on their own experience and the evidence available, regardless of whether criminal charges were ever filed. Sommers Schwartz handles these cases with full confidentiality, and your decision to come forward does not require any prior contact with law enforcement.

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 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 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