Key Takeaways
- According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Father John Feeney was accused of sexually abusing teenage boys in 1965 at a beach house owned by Father William O’Connell, a priest who was later convicted of sexually abusing multiple children.
- Rhode Island’s childhood sexual abuse revival window may provide legal options for survivors seeking accountability from institutions that enabled abuse.
Who Was Father John Joseph Keough Feeney?
Father John Joseph Keough Feeney was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served in Rhode Island for more than four decades.
Born on January 23, 1901, Feeney was ordained on January 22, 1928. He served at several parishes throughout the Diocese before retiring in 1971.
Feeney died on November 10, 1974. He was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence but not the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy.
Father John Feeney Assignment History
The assignments of Father Feeney include, according to the AG’s Report,:
- St. Brendan Church, Riverside (1928–1929)
- St. Bernard Church, North Kingstown (1929–1937)
- St. Matthew Church, Cranston (1937–1941)
- Sacred Heart Church, Woonsocket (1941–1943)
- Mount St. Francis Orphanage, Woonsocket (1941–1943)
- St. Patrick Church, Cumberland (1943)
- St. Augustin Church, Newport (1943–1951)
- St. Joseph Church, North Scituate (1951–1971)
- Retired (1971)
Allegations Against Father John Feeney
Father John Feeney was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report as the subject of allegations involving the sexual abuse of teenage boys.
According to the Report, the Diocese received a complaint in 2004 from a man who alleged that Feeney sexually abused him when he was approximately 15 years old during the summer of 1965. The alleged abuse occurred at a Narragansett beach house owned by Father William O’Connell, a Diocese of Providence priest who was later convicted of sexually abusing multiple children.
The complainant reported that “he recalled drinking alcohol and playing cards at the beach house with Father O’Connell, Father Feeney, and others. The complainant alleged that he went to bed, and when he woke up, Father Feeney was behind him ‘rubbing up against him,’ and O’Connell was in front of him. The complainant characterized this as an assault. He also alleged that he witnessed Father Feeney sexually assault one of the other boys present at O’Connell’s beach house that night and believed Father Feeney to have sexually abused yet another boy on a different occasion. The boy whom the complainant reportedly witnessed being penetrated that night by Father Feeney had raised his own abuse allegations with the Diocese two years earlier, in April 2002. He reported that Father William O’Connell had raped him, but he made no direct accusations against Father Feeney. In a letter written around the time that he came forward, he said that Father Feeney ‘was often mentioned as another person who frequented Father [O’Connell’s] cottage of sin. I have no direct evidence about this man, but I do trust those who told me.’ In 2004, this individual settled a civil suit against the Diocese based on his allegations of sexual abuse by O’Connell.” (Appendix A)
The Report found no indication that the Diocese referred the allegations against either priest to law enforcement.
Were You Harmed by Father John Feeney? You May Have Legal Options
Rhode Island’s child sexual abuse revival window has created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
Survivors may have civil legal options against any institutions that supervised Father Feeney.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across the nation. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the legal process.
If you were abused by Father John Joseph Keough Feeney or another clergy member, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law
Image sources: Fr. John Joseph Keough Feeney, courtesy of Bishop Accountability. St. Joseph Church, via saintjosephschurch.net.
