A report released this week by the Rhode Island attorney general has detailed decades of abuse within the state’s Catholic Diocese of Providence, identifying 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. The investigation drew on thousands of church records and years of interviews, though officials say the true number of victims is likely much higher.
For survivors, the report brings a sense of vindication after years of searching for answers. Dr. Herbert 'Hub' Brennan, who was abused by the Rev. Brendan Smyth in the 1960s, said the report allowed him to 'switch from survivor-victim to advocate.' He recalled the shame and secrecy that followed the abuse, and how a newspaper headline about Smyth’s arrest in 1995 prompted him to seek accountability.
Claude Leboeuf, a survivor abused in Massachusetts who now advocates for victims in Rhode Island, called the report an important step toward dismantling the church’s 'wall of secrecy.' He urged the church to provide tangible support, including money, tuition, and therapy, saying the effects of abuse 'last a long, long time.'
Bishop of Providence Bruce Lewandowski expressed 'extreme sadness' and 'intense shame' over the report, apologising to survivors for past failures to protect children. He said the diocese has implemented safeguards to respond quickly to allegations and prevent abuse, but survivors note that many complaints were ignored for decades.
Ann Hagan Webb, who was abused by her parish priest from kindergarten through age 14, described the dread she felt before the school bus arrived each morning. She said the report confirms what survivors have long known: that the church failed them. 'It’s not old history,' she said. 'It’s justice denied for more than 60 years for some people.'
