Father Edward Kelley – Diocese of Providence

Edward Kelley Catholic Priest Diocese of Providence

Father Edward J. Kelley

Ordained: 1968

Status: Accused / Indicted

Deceased: 2022

Assignment History

1968: St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church (Narragansett, RI)
1968-1969: St. Catherine Church (Warwick, RI)
1969: St. John the Evangelist Church (Slatersville, RI)
1969-1975: St. James Church (Manville, RI)
1975-1976: St. Joseph Church (Pascoag, RI)
1976-1978: St. Matthew Church (Cranston, RI)
1978: St. Joseph Hospital (Providence, RI)
1978-1980: St. Margaret Church (Rumford, RI)
1980-1985: St. John the Evangelist Church (Slatersville, RI)
1985-1986: Our Lady of Consolation Church (Pawtucket, RI)
1986-1992: St. Agatha Church (Woonsocket, RI)
1992: St. Aidan Church (Cumberland, RI)
1992: Sacred Heart Church (Woonsocket, RI)
1993-2013: United States Army Chaplain
2015: Faculties revoked
2021: Indicted

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Edward Kelley

Father Edward Kelley was ordained a priest in 1968 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island for more than four decades before later serving as a United States Army chaplain. He is one of several Catholic clergy members connected to Rhode Island clergy sexual abuse lawsuits involving the Diocese of Providence.

According to the Diocese of Providence list of credibly accused clergy, Kelley has been identified as credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. He served at several Rhode Island parishes and institutions, including St. Matthew Church in Cranston, St. John the Evangelist Church in Slatersville, St. Agatha Church in Woonsocket, and St. Aidan Church in Cumberland.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Kelley was the subject of allegations involving the sexual abuse of three children. He was indicted in 2021 on three counts of first-degree sexual assault, but was later found incompetent to stand trial due to advanced dementia. Kelley died on September 26, 2022, before the criminal case could proceed.

Allegations Against Father Edward Kelley

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, Kelley was accused of sexually abusing three boys during his ministry in the Diocese of Providence.

According to BishopAccountability.org, diocesan records show that the Diocese was aware in 1978 of concerns involving Kelley’s “moral problems.” As a result, he was briefly assigned as a hospital chaplain before returning to parish ministry.

In 1979, the parents of a teenage boy reportedly asked that Kelley meet with their son only in public spaces or with other people present, and not one-on-one. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, the documents produced by the Diocese do not explain why the parents made that request.

Allegations Involving Father Edward Kelley and a Teenage Ward

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, around 1982 Kelley became the legal guardian of a 14-year-old boy who lived with him in parish rectories for several years.

The report states that the Diocese was aware of the relationship and received multiple complaints beginning in 1987 that Kelley was sleeping in the same room or bed with the boy. Bishop Louis Gelineau reportedly instructed Kelley to separate from the boy, but the Diocese ultimately took no disciplinary action and did not report the complaints to law enforcement.

Years later, the former teenage ward reported to the Rhode Island State Police that Kelley had sexually abused him on numerous occasions. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, he alleged multiple incidents of sexual abuse between approximately 1982 and 1986, when he was between the ages of 14 and 18.

Additional Allegations Against Father Edward Kelley

According to BishopAccountability.org, in 1994 the Diocese and the East Providence Police Department received a report that Kelley sexually abused a boy over a six-year period beginning when the boy was approximately 14 years old in 1976. The survivor reportedly knew Kelley through the Boy Scouts and alleged that other Boy Scouts regularly visited Kelley’s home. This survivor died by suicide in 1997.

A third allegation was reported anonymously to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office in 2002 and forwarded to the Diocese. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, the complainant did not want to pursue the matter further.

Criminal Case Against Father Edward Kelley

According to media reports, in May 2021, Kelley was arrested in South Carolina on a Rhode Island warrant after a statewide grand jury indicted him on three counts of first-degree sexual assault. The indictment stemmed from allegations that Kelley sexually assaulted a teenage boy in 1983 in North Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Kelley pleaded not guilty. In February 2022, a judge found him incompetent to stand trial due to advanced dementia. Kelley died on September 26, 2022, before the criminal case could proceed.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Kelley had previously been removed from ministry in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015 due to a relationship with an adult woman.

Diocese of Providence Response to Father Edward Kelley

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, diocesan records indicate that concerns about Kelley were documented as early as 1978. Despite those concerns, Kelley remained in ministry for decades.

Kelley resigned from St. Aidan Church in Cumberland in 1992 amid complaints involving his leadership. He later left Rhode Island and served as a United States Army chaplain from 1993 to 2013.

Kelley was added to the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor following his 2021 indictment. He was also included in 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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Father Edward Kelley

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 Edward Kelley listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?

Yes. Father Edward Kelley was added to the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor following his 2021 indictment. He was also included in Appendix A of the Rhode Island 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.