Father Ronald E. Brassard

Ordained: 1974

Status: Sued; Pastor Emeritus of Immaculate Conception Parish

Deceased: 2021

Assignment History

1974-1975: Assistant Pastor, St. Thomas Parish (Providence, RI)
1974-1975: Chaplain, Diocesan Apostolate for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired
1975-1983: Director, Diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy
1977-1983: St. Patrick Parish (Providence, RI)
1980-1983: Assistant Chancellor, Diocese of Providence
1983-1988: Director of Liturgy, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows (Belleville, IL)
1988-2010: Immaculate Conception Parish (Cranston, RI)
1993-2010: Pastor, Immaculate Conception Parish (Cranston, RI)
2015: Pastor, St. Mark Parish (Jamestown, RI)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Ronald E. Brassard

Father Ronald E. Brassard was ordained a priest in 1974 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. Brassard was named in a 1995 lawsuit involving allegations of child sexual abuse connected to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois. He also served at several Rhode Island parishes and diocesan offices, including St. Thomas Parish in Providence, St. Patrick Parish in Providence, Immaculate Conception Parish in Cranston, and St. Mark Parish in Jamestown.

According to BishopAccountability.org’s assignment record for Father Ronald E. Brassard, the plaintiff in the 1995 lawsuit claimed he was 13 years old and a student at St. Henry’s Seminary in Illinois in the 1970s when the abuse began. The plaintiff alleged that Brassard and several other priests sexually abused him.

According to media reports, a man alleged in 1994 that a group of priests at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows sexually abused him in the early 1980s and pressured him and other teenage boys into soliciting men as sexual partners for priests. Brassard was later named as one of the abusive priests in connection with the lawsuit.

After the allegations became public, the Diocese of Providence reportedly said that, due to inconsistencies, Brassard would remain active at Immaculate Conception Parish in Cranston while the matter was investigated further.

Brassard continued serving as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Cranston. He was later appointed pastor of St. Mark Parish in Jamestown in 2015.

According to his obituary, Brassard died on August 6, 2021, and was Pastor Emeritus of Immaculate Conception Parish in Cranston.

Frequently Asked Questions About Father Ronald E. Brassard

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 Ronald E. Brassard listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?

Based on available public source material, Father Ronald E. Brassard was named in a 1995 lawsuit involving allegations of sexual abuse, but he does not appear to have been listed on the Diocese of Providence list of credibly accused clergy or in 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, religious order members, and other clergy in the Diocese of Providence. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Rhode Island, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Providence 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 Ronald E. Brassard – Diocese of Providence