St. Matthew Church in Cranston, Rhode Island is one of the parishes identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence as a location where credibly accused clergy served during the period when reported abuse occurred. If you attended St. Matthew Church, were an altar server, or were otherwise part of that parish community, and something happened to you that should never have happened, you are not alone. What was done to you was not your fault, and the law now gives you a real opportunity to be heard. A sexual abuse lawyer at Sommers Schwartz can walk you through your options in a confidential, no-pressure conversation.

Table of Contents

• What the Attorney General’s Report Reveals About St. Matthew Church, Cranston
• How Accused Clergy Were Moved Through Parishes Like St. Matthew Church
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law (H-7200A/S-2616A) and What It Means for St. Matthew Survivors
• What a Civil Claim Against the Diocese of Providence Can Accomplish
• Why Survivors of St. Matthew Church Abuse Should Contact Sommers Schwartz
• FAQs About St. Matthew Church Cranston Sexual Abuse Claims

What the Attorney General’s Report Reveals About St. Matthew Church, Cranston

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence is a comprehensive, multi-year investigation covering abuse within the diocese from 1950 forward. The report is detailed, data-driven, and deeply troubling. Among its findings, St. Matthew Church in Cranston is specifically named as one of the parishes where accused clergy were assigned during the period when reported abuse occurred.

The report accuses the Diocese of Providence of a pattern of failing to remove dozens of priests accused of child sexual abuse and keeping that abuse secret over decades. It identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. St. Matthew Church was not an outlier. It was part of a systemic problem that stretched across Cranston, Providence, Woonsocket, and beyond.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Credibly Accused Clergy list, Father Hugh Rafferty served at St. Matthew Church in Cranston from 1964 to 1966. Father Hugh Rafferty’s partial assignment history includes St. Matthew Church, Cranston from 1964 to 1966, followed by St. Leo the Great Church in Pawtucket from 1966 to 1967, and he was ultimately laicized in 1976. Father Normand Marcantonio also has a documented assignment history that places him at St. Matthew Church, Cranston from 1969 to 1976, according to the Attorney General’s Credibly Accused Clergy records.

The investigation found that accused priests were repeatedly returned to ministry rather than removed. That pattern is exactly what makes institutional accountability so important. The harm was not just the act of one individual. It was the system that allowed that individual to remain in contact with children.

How Accused Clergy Were Moved Through Parishes Like St. Matthew Church

One of the most troubling patterns documented in the Attorney General’s report is how accused priests were transferred from one parish to another rather than removed from ministry. St. Matthew Church, Cranston fits squarely within this pattern. Clergy named in the Attorney General’s report cycled through Cranston parishes, including St. Matthew, as part of a broader diocesan reassignment practice.

The report notes that bishops frequently minimized abuse accusations, transferring accused priests to new assignments or treatment rather than referring them to authorities. This is not a minor administrative detail. It means children in every new parish were placed at risk without warning.

Father Roland Lepire is one example of how this worked in practice. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Appendix A report, Father Roland Lepire allegedly sexually abused at least six boys between the ages of 8 and 14 across parish assignments in Woonsocket, Cranston, and Central Falls between 1975 and 1980. In 1979, when a mother reported her son’s alleged abuse to police, then-Bishop Gelineau allegedly transferred Lepire to another parish rather than take further action. Lepire was transferred but allegedly continued to abuse children at his new assignments.

The Attorney General’s report accused the Diocese of Providence of a pattern of failing to remove dozens of priests accused of child sexual abuse and keeping the abuse secret over decades. For survivors who attended St. Matthew Church during this era, understanding this institutional failure matters. It means the Diocese, not just an individual priest, may bear legal responsibility for what happened to you.

The Attorney General’s report also documents where abuse most often took place. Survivors were invited to rectories. They were groomed through positions of trust like altar serving. The report describes how accused clergy sought frequent and prolonged contact with minors through church activities, volunteer assignments, and rectory access.

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

Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law is the most significant legal development for survivors in the state’s history. 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. That is a critical distinction. If you believed your window to file a lawsuit had already closed, this law may have reopened it.

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. That means the Diocese of Providence itself, not just individual priests, can be named as a defendant.

For survivors who were abused at St. Matthew Church decades ago and assumed the law was not on their side, this changes everything. For survivors who did not miss their opportunity, the statute of limitations begins running when the survivor turns 18. Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse.

The revival window is not permanent. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. If you were abused at St. Matthew Church or any other Diocese of Providence parish, the time to act is now. Contacting a sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz is a confidential first step that costs you nothing.

What a Civil Claim Against the Diocese of Providence Can Accomplish

A civil lawsuit is different from a criminal prosecution. You do not need a conviction, and you do not need to prove your case beyond a reasonable doubt. Civil cases use a lower legal standard. More importantly, a civil claim can hold institutions accountable in ways that criminal proceedings often cannot.

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 law, H-7200A/S-2616A, directly addresses that gap. It allows survivors to bring claims against the Diocese of Providence and other institutions during the two-year revival window, not just against individual priests who may be deceased or otherwise unreachable.

Over 30 lawsuits were filed against the Diocese of Providence on the first day victims could revive expired childhood sexual abuse claims. That number reflects how many survivors had been waiting for exactly this moment. You are far from alone in this.

A civil claim can accomplish several things. It can compel the Diocese to produce internal records. It can create a public record of what happened. It can result in financial compensation for the harm you suffered. And for many survivors, it provides a form of acknowledgment that what happened was real, that it was wrong, and that someone is being held responsible.

The Attorney General’s report details some of the settlements the Diocese of Providence made with victims over the years, alluding to the church paying millions of dollars to settle civil abuse claims, but described details about the settlement decisions as troubling. The new law gives survivors a stronger legal footing to pursue those claims against the institution, not just the individual. A sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can review the facts of your situation and explain what a civil claim could look like for you.

Why Survivors of St. Matthew Church Abuse Should Contact Sommers Schwartz

Sommers Schwartz represents survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island and multiple states. The attorneys at this firm understand that coming forward is one of the hardest decisions a survivor can make. The process is handled with care, confidentiality, and a genuine commitment to putting your needs first.

You do not need to have a police report. You do not need to remember every detail. You do not need to have previously spoken to anyone about what happened. What you need is a legal team that listens without judgment and knows how to build a case against a powerful institution like the Diocese of Providence.

The Attorney General’s report gives survivors something they did not have before: documented evidence of a systemic institutional failure. The report accused the Diocese of Providence of a pattern of failing to remove dozens of priests accused of child sexual abuse and keeping the abuse secret over decades. That documented pattern is directly relevant to any civil claim involving St. Matthew Church.

Sommers Schwartz takes clergy sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless your case results in a recovery. There is no financial risk to calling. The revival window under H-7200A/S-2616A runs only through June 30, 2028. The sooner you reach out, the more time your legal team has to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.

If you or someone you love was abused at St. Matthew Church in Cranston, or at any other Diocese of Providence parish, please contact Sommers Schwartz today. Your story matters. Your rights matter. And you deserve a legal team that treats you that way from the very first conversation.

FAQs About St. Matthew Church Cranston Sexual Abuse Claims

Was St. Matthew 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 identifies St. Matthew Church, Cranston as one of the parishes where credibly accused clergy were assigned during the period when reported abuse occurred. The Attorney General’s Credibly Accused Clergy list documents specific priests, including Father Hugh Rafferty, who served at St. Matthew Church during the 1960s. This official record is an important piece of evidence for survivors considering a civil claim.

My abuse at St. Matthew Church happened decades ago. Can I still file a lawsuit?

Rhode Island’s new 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 revival window for survivors to bring claims that would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations. That window runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. During this period, you may be able to file a civil claim against the Diocese of Providence and other institutions, even if your abuse occurred many years ago. You should speak with an attorney as soon as possible to understand how this window applies to your specific situation.

Can I file a lawsuit against the Diocese of Providence, not just the individual priest?

Yes. The new Rhode Island law specifically allows survivors to bring claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse, not just the individual perpetrators. The Diocese of Providence, as the governing body responsible for overseeing clergy assignments and responding to abuse allegations, can be named as a defendant. This is a significant change from prior law, which a 2023 Rhode Island Supreme Court ruling had limited to claims against individual abusers only.

What if the priest who abused me at St. Matthew Church is deceased?

The death of an accused priest does not necessarily end your legal options. Because the new law allows claims against institutions and supervisors, the Diocese of Providence can still be held accountable for its role in enabling or concealing the abuse, regardless of whether the individual abuser is still living. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can evaluate the specific facts of your case and explain what legal paths remain available to you.

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

No. You do not need a prior police report, a church complaint, or any formal documentation to begin the process of filing a civil lawsuit. Many survivors never reported their abuse at the time, for reasons that are entirely understandable. Shame, fear, disbelief, and the enormous power priests held in the community all contributed to silence. None of that disqualifies you from pursuing a claim today. What matters is what happened to you, and an attorney at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your options based on your own experience.

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. 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
• Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston
• St. Jude’s Parish, Lincoln
• St. Michael Church, Providence
• Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Programs in Rhode Island