Father Roland M. Lepire

Ordained: 1975

Status: Settled / Laicized

Deceased: 2025

Assignment History

1974-1975: St. James Church (Manville, RI)
1975-1979: St. Aloysius Church (Woonsocket, RI)
1979-1980: St. Mary Church (Cranston, RI)
1980-1986: St. Matthew Church (Central Falls, RI)
1986-1991: St. Leo the Great Church (Pawtucket, RI)
1991-1996: St. Vincent de Paul Church (Coventry, RI)
1996-2004: Suspended on leave
2004: Laicized

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Roland M. Lepire

Father Roland M. Lepire was ordained a priest in 1975 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island for more than 20 years. 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, Lepire has been identified as credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. He served at several Rhode Island parishes, including St. Aloysius Church in Woonsocket, St. Mary Church in Cranston, St. Matthew Church in Central Falls, and St. Vincent de Paul Church in Coventry.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Lepire was accused of sexually abusing at least six boys between the ages of 8 and 14 from approximately 1975 to 1980. He was placed on leave in 1996, laicized in 2004, and died on February 26, 2025.

Allegations Against Father Roland M. Lepire

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, Lepire was accused of sexually abusing at least six boys while assigned to parishes in Woonsocket, Cranston, and Central Falls.

In 1979, the mother of an 8-year-old boy reportedly brought her son to the Woonsocket Police Department after he disclosed abuse by Lepire. According to BishopAccountability.org, the mother later recalled being told that Bishop Louis Gelineau offered to remove Lepire from the parish and send him to counseling if she did not press charges.

Lepire was transferred to another parish. According to BishopAccountability.org, Lepire later said that in 1980 he told Bishop Gelineau he had molested four boys while assigned to St. Mary Church in Cranston. He was briefly assigned as chaplain to a community of Brothers, then returned to parish ministry at St. Matthew Church in Central Falls, where he allegedly abused two more boys.

Administrative Leave, Civil Lawsuits, and Laicization

Lepire remained in active ministry until February 1996, when he was placed on leave after a former altar boy filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing him as a child in 1978.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Lepire was sent in 1996 to St. John Vianney Center in Pennsylvania for psychiatric evaluation, where he admitted to sexually abusing boys.

Claims involving Lepire were settled in September 2002 as part of a $13.5 million settlement involving 36 victims of priest abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Another lawsuit filed in 2003 alleged abuse in the early 1980s and was later settled in 2008 as part of a $1.326 million settlement by the Diocese of Providence.

Lepire was laicized in 2004. He was included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor in 2019. He was also 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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Father Roland M. Lepire

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 Roland M. Lepire listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?

Yes. Father Roland M. Lepire was included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor in 2019. 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.

Father Roland M. Lepire – Diocese of Providence