Father Alfred Santagata
Ordained: 1943
Status: Accused
Deceased: 1967
Assignment History
- 1954-1964: St. Mary Church (Cranston, RI)
Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Alfred Santagata
Father Alfred Santagata was ordained a priest in 1943 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. He was assigned to St. Mary Church in Cranston from 1954 to 1964. He is one of several Catholic clergy members connected to Rhode Island clergy sexual abuse lawsuits involving the Diocese of Providence.
According to BishopAccountability.org, Santagata was publicly named as accused in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Based on the available source information, Santagata does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, Santagata was accused of sexually abusing two children in the 1960s. Santagata died on August 18, 1967.
Allegations Against Father Alfred Santagata
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, in March 1995, a woman reported that Santagata and the parish’s music minister sexually abused her for years when she was a child at St. Mary Church in Cranston.
The woman reportedly alleged that Santagata and the music minister groped her and made explicit comments to her.
In March 2024, another woman alleged that Santagata sexually abused her at St. Mary Church in Cranston when she was between 12 and 14 years old, between 1961 and 1963.
Diocese of Providence Response to Father Alfred Santagata Allegations
Santagata died in 1967, before the allegations described in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report were reportedly received.
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, the Diocese received allegations involving Santagata in 1995 and 2024. The allegations involved reported abuse connected to St. Mary Church in Cranston during the 1960s.
Father Alfred Santagata and Institutional Failures
Santagata’s case reflects concerns raised in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report about clergy sexual abuse allegations involving Rhode Island parishes and the Diocese of Providence’s records and response to reports received years after the alleged abuse occurred.
According to the Attorney General’s report, Santagata was accused of sexually abusing two children during the period when he was assigned to St. Mary Church in Cranston.
Santagata was included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of credibly accused clergy in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Based on the available source information, he does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Father Alfred Santagata
Can I sue for sexual abuse by a priest in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. You can bring a claim during this two-year window regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Because there is a deadline to file your claim, survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
How long do I have to sue for sexual abuse in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year window for certain older child sexual abuse claims beginning July 1, 2026. Claims must be filed by June 30, 2028. Survivors should not wait, because it may be necessary to gather relevant documents, investigate the claim, and determine the appropriate parties to sue.
Can the Diocese of Providence be sued for my sexual abuse by a priest?
Possibly. Survivors may have claims against the Diocese of Providence or another Catholic institution, including parishes and schools, if there is evidence that the institution knew or should have known about the risk of abuse and failed to protect children. Horowitz Law attorneys can review the facts of your case and explain your legal options.
Was Father Alfred Santagata listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?
Based on the available source information, no. Father Alfred Santagata does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. However, he was included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of credibly accused clergy in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
Rhode Island Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, for certain older child sexual abuse claims. Horowitz Law is bringing these lawsuits in Rhode Island and has collected evidence of the Diocese of Providence’s negligence. The revival window allows survivors of clergy sexual abuse to pursue claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. Filing deadlines will apply, so survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Horowitz Law Is Here to Help
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy connected to the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island may have legal options due to Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window for certain child sexual abuse claims, but filing deadlines will apply, so do not delay in reaching out to us.
Contact us at 888-283-9922 or email sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz for a free consultation.