Father William J. O’Neill

William J. O’Neill Catholic Priest Diocese of Providence

Ordained: 1968

Status: Accused / Laicized

Deceased: 2000

Assignment History

1968: St. Mary Church (Charlestown/Carolina, RI)
1968-1969: Immaculate Conception Church (Cranston, RI)
1969-1971: Blessed Sacrament Church (Providence, RI)
1971: Suspended on leave
1972: Laicized

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father William J. O’Neill

Father William J. O’Neill was ordained a priest in 1968 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island before being suspended in 1971 and laicized in 1972. 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, O’Neill has been identified as credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. 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.

According to BishopAccountability.org, allegations against O’Neill were received after his death. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report describes allegations involving a 10-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl in the late 1960s and early 1970s. O’Neill died on May 3, 2000.

Allegations Against Father William J. O’Neill

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, in 1994 the Diocese received a report that O’Neill sexually abused a 10-year-old boy in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In 1995, a man reportedly told Bishop Louis Gelineau that O’Neill sexually abused his 12-year-old sister in the late 1960s during a camping trip in Maine. According to BishopAccountability.org, O’Neill denied abusing the boy but admitted to abusing the girl.

Diocese of Providence Response to Father William J. O’Neill Allegations

According to BishopAccountability.org, at the time the allegations were reported, O’Neill was working as a lay music director at St. Jude Church in Lincoln. Despite the allegations and his reported admission involving the girl, O’Neill was allowed to continue in his role at St. Jude Church with a “no closed door policy” while working with children.

In 1996, it reportedly came to light that O’Neill had told the pastor at St. Jude Church about an incident involving his slapping the buttocks of two girls at an agency in Cranston.

According to BishopAccountability.org, in 1997 a new pastor at St. Jude Church told the Diocese that he had recently found O’Neill alone with a girl in the church with his “hands on her face.”

Father William J. O’Neill and Institutional Failures

O’Neill’s case reflects concerns raised in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report about how the Diocese of Providence responded to allegations involving clergy and former clergy.

Although O’Neill had been suspended from priestly ministry in 1971 and laicized in 1972, he was later allowed to work in a parish role involving children after allegations were reported to the Diocese. According to the available source information, the Diocese permitted him to remain at St. Jude Church under restrictions rather than removing him from the parish role.

O’Neill 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 William J. O’Neill

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 William J. O’Neill listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?

Yes. Father William J. O’Neill 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.

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 William J. O’Neill – Diocese of Providence