Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston, Rhode Island is one of the parishes named in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s landmark 2026 clergy abuse investigation. For survivors who were abused at this parish, or by clergy who served there, the law has changed in a meaningful way. If you were harmed, what happened was not your fault, and you may now have legal options that did not exist before.

Table of Contents

• Credibly Accused Clergy Who Served at Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston
• How the Diocese of Providence Enabled Abuse at Cranston Parishes
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for Immaculate Conception Survivors
• What Survivors of Immaculate Conception Church Abuse Can Claim in a Civil Lawsuit
• Why Survivors of Clergy Abuse Often Wait, and Why That Is Completely Understandable
• How Sommers Schwartz Represents Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island
• FAQs About Immaculate Conception Church Cranston Clergy Abuse Claims

Credibly Accused Clergy Who Served at Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence identified multiple credibly accused clergy members with documented assignment histories at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston. This is not a rumor or speculation. These are findings from a multi-year, government-led investigation backed by 70 years of diocesan records.

One survivor shared that he was groomed before he was sexually abused by Monsignor John Allard, who served at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston in 1981. The survivor said Allard gave him attention and physical affection between seventh and eighth grade. By ninth grade, Allard brought the young teenager to the priest’s bed, took off the victim’s clothing and began fondling his penis.

While a review board deemed the abuse credible, the Vatican, at the urging of then-Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin, let Allard retire rather than be defrocked. That outcome reflects a pattern the Attorney General’s report documented across the Diocese: abuse found credible, but institutional consequences avoided.

The Attorney General’s credibly accused clergy list also shows that Father Roger Belhumeur was assigned to Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston from 1962 to 1963 and again from 1969 to 1973. Father William Tanguay was assigned to Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston in 1969. Both are named in the Attorney General’s official credibly accused clergy appendix. The presence of multiple accused clergy at a single parish, across multiple decades, raises serious questions about what diocesan leadership knew and when.

If you attended Immaculate Conception Church or were involved in its programs, and you experienced abuse at the hands of a priest or other church figure, you are not alone. The Attorney General’s report makes clear that abuse at this parish was real, documented, and enabled by a larger institutional failure.

How the Diocese of Providence Enabled Abuse at Cranston Parishes

The Diocese of Providence is the governing Catholic institution for Rhode Island, created in 1872. Its bishop holds executive, legislative, and judicial authority over all diocesan parishes, including those in Cranston. That concentration of power matters, because it means decisions about where priests were assigned, and whether abuse allegations were reported, flowed directly from diocesan leadership.

The Rhode Island Attorney General 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 diocesan records, described as “damning” in the report, revealed that the diocese often transferred accused priests to new assignments without thoroughly investigating complaints or contacting law enforcement.

The report identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. Cranston was one of the cities most affected. The Attorney General’s data shows Cranston among the highest concentrations of accused clergy assignments in the state.

The report also found that accused priests used their access to children through the Church to build trust with families, spending excessive time with youth and inviting minors to rectories. This was not random. It was a deliberate pattern of grooming, made possible by an institution that prioritized its own reputation over child safety.

For survivors who grew up in Cranston’s Catholic community, this context is important. The abuse you experienced, if you experienced it, was the product of a system that failed you. The fault lies with the abuser and the institution that protected him, not with you.

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

Rhode Island passed one of the most significant child sexual abuse laws in its history in 2026. On June 11, 2026, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed legislation giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse a new opportunity to pursue civil claims that would otherwise be permanently closed. The law is known by its bill numbers, H-7200A and S-2616A.

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 direct response to a prior gap in Rhode Island law. In 2019, the General Assembly extended the statute of limitations and gave previously time-barred survivors an opportunity to sue. But 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 fixes that gap. Survivors who were abused at Immaculate Conception Church and want to hold the Diocese of Providence accountable, not just an individual priest, now have a legal path to do so. If you believe your window to seek justice had closed, it may now be open again. Working with an experienced sexual assault attorney as early as possible gives you the best chance to understand your rights before the window closes on June 30, 2028.

What Survivors of Immaculate Conception Church Abuse Can Claim in a Civil Lawsuit

A civil lawsuit is separate from a criminal case. You do not need a police report, a prior criminal conviction, or even a formal complaint to file a civil claim. Civil cases use a lower standard of proof than criminal trials, and they allow survivors to seek financial accountability from both the individual abuser and the institution that enabled the abuse.

Under Rhode Island law, a civil claim for childhood sexual abuse can hold an institution liable when it knew or should have known about a risk of harm and failed to act. The Diocese of Providence’s own records show that it received complaints, conducted internal reviews, and in many cases still returned accused priests to ministry. That pattern of institutional failure is exactly the kind of conduct that civil claims under H-7200A/S-2616A are designed to address.

Survivors of abuse at Immaculate Conception Church may be able to bring claims for physical and emotional injuries, psychological harm, loss of quality of life, and the long-term effects of trauma. Many survivors carry these effects for decades without connecting them to the abuse they suffered as children. The law recognizes this reality.

All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. That deadline is real. Consulting with a sexual abuse lawyer now, rather than waiting, gives you time to gather information, understand your options, and make a decision that is right for you, without the pressure of a last-minute deadline.

You do not have to relive every detail of what happened to make an initial call. A good legal team will listen first and answer your questions without judgment or pressure.

Why Survivors of Clergy Abuse Often Wait, and Why That Is Completely Understandable

Many survivors of clergy abuse at Immaculate Conception Church and other Rhode Island parishes did not come forward for years, or even decades. That is not a failure. It is a well-documented response to trauma, especially when the abuser held a position of religious authority and community trust.

The lookback window reflects a broader recognition that delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. Children who are abused by trusted authority figures often feel shame, confusion, and fear that they will not be believed. When the abuser is a priest, those feelings are compounded by religious guilt and the social standing of the Church in the community.

The Attorney General’s report documented this reality directly. An unknown number of victims likely died before coming forward, while some church records have been lost or even destroyed surrounding possible abusive priests. It is also common for child sexual abuse victims to take decades before coming forward with their stories.

Rhode Island’s new law was written with this reality in mind. The two-year revival window exists precisely because lawmakers understood that many survivors could not come forward sooner. Older survivors now in their 60s or 70s are being given a chance to sue. Whatever your age, whatever your reason for waiting, you deserve to be heard.

If you are a survivor of abuse at Immaculate Conception Church, or at any other Rhode Island parish, reaching out to a sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz is a confidential first step. You are not committing to anything by asking questions. You are simply learning what your rights are, and that knowledge belongs to you.

How Sommers Schwartz Represents Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse in Rhode Island

Sommers Schwartz is a multi-state law firm with attorneys who represent survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault, including survivors of clergy abuse within the Diocese of Providence. The firm handles these cases with a trauma-informed approach, meaning the legal process is built around the survivor’s comfort, pace, and needs.

Clergy abuse cases are not simple. They require a thorough understanding of how diocesan institutions are structured, how internal records are kept, what the Diocese’s own policies required of its bishops and supervisors, and how Rhode Island law applies to institutional defendants. The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz have the background and resources to pursue these claims effectively.

The firm works on a contingency fee basis in personal injury and sexual abuse cases, which means you pay no attorneys’ fees unless your case results in a recovery. There is no financial barrier to getting legal advice. A call to Sommers Schwartz costs you nothing and obligates you to nothing. It is simply a conversation with someone who is on your side.

The revival window under H-7200A/S-2616A runs through June 30, 2028. That may feel like a long time, but building a strong civil case takes time. Gathering records, identifying witnesses, and documenting the full scope of harm all take preparation. Starting that process now, rather than near the deadline, gives your case the best possible foundation.

If you were abused at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston, or by any clergy member connected to the Diocese of Providence, please reach out to Sommers Schwartz. What happened to you was wrong. You deserve answers, accountability, and the chance to reclaim your voice.

FAQs About Immaculate Conception Church Cranston Clergy Abuse Claims

Was Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston specifically named in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s clergy abuse report?

Yes. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence specifically references Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston. Monsignor John Allard, who served there in 1981, was found to have credibly abused a survivor who described being groomed over more than a year before the abuse began. Father Roger Belhumeur and Father William Tanguay are also listed in the Attorney General’s credibly accused clergy appendix with documented assignments at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston.

What does Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A/S-2616A) actually do for survivors of abuse at Immaculate Conception Church?

The law, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, amends the statute of limitations for claims of childhood sexual abuse. It also creates a two-year revival window, running from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, during which survivors can file civil claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse, even if those claims were previously time-barred. This means survivors who believed their legal window had closed may now be able to file a civil lawsuit against the Diocese of Providence for its role in enabling abuse at Immaculate Conception Church.

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

No. A civil lawsuit does not require a prior police report, a criminal conviction, or a formal complaint to the Diocese. Civil cases operate under a different legal standard than criminal cases, and many survivors who never reported abuse to authorities have successfully pursued civil claims. What matters is the nature of the harm you suffered and whether an institution’s failure to act contributed to that harm. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can evaluate your situation confidentially and help you understand your options.

Can I file a civil lawsuit anonymously if I was abused at Immaculate Conception Church?

Rhode Island courts allow survivors to file civil lawsuits using a pseudonym, such as Jane Doe or John Doe, in certain circumstances. This is particularly relevant in clergy abuse cases, where survivors may fear public identification or retraumatization. The ability to file anonymously depends on the specific facts of your case and how the court evaluates your request. The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz can advise you on how to protect your privacy throughout the legal process while still pursuing accountability.

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

The revival window created by H-7200A/S-2616A closes on June 30, 2028. All previously time-barred civil claims against institutions and supervisors must be filed before that date or they may be permanently barred. While that deadline is more than a year away, building a strong civil case takes time. Gathering records, documenting harm, and preparing a claim properly requires preparation. Contacting Sommers Schwartz now gives your case the best chance of being fully developed and filed well before the deadline.

More Resources About Parish & Diocesan Institution Locations

• St. Mary’s Church, Cranston
• Our Lady of Mercy, East Greenwich
• St. Aloysius Home, Smithfield
• Jesus Savior Church, Newport
• St. Matthew Church, Cranston
• St. Mary Church, Bristol
• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Providence
• St. Raphael Academy, Pawtucket
• St. Joseph Church, Woonsocket
• St. Margaret Church, East Providence
• St. Anthony Church, North Providence
• St. Jude’s Parish, Lincoln
• St. Michael Church, Providence
• Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Programs in Rhode Island