Key Takeaways
- Father Barry Meehan was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sex Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
- According to the report, Meehan allegedly sexually abused at least four boys and one young man between 1983 and the mid-2000s.
- The report states the diocese received warnings about Meehan’s conduct with children as early as 1998 but did not remove him from ministry until 2013.
Who Was Father Barry Meehan?
Father Barry M. Meehan was a priest in the Diocese of Providence who served in several Rhode Island parishes between 1978 and his suspension in 2013.
Despite repeated warnings and complaints spanning more than a decade, Meehan remained in ministry and was even transferred to a new parish, ultimately serving as pastor of St. Timothy Church in Warwick for over ten years. He is identified on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report and is included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy.
According to the report, “Father Barry Meehan reportedly sexually abused at least four boys and one young man between 1983 and the mid-2000s,” with the abuse reportedly beginning with Meehan “removing or reaching inside their pants and touching or rubbing their genitals,” often inside his rectory bedroom. (Appendix A, p. 237)
Father Barry Meehan Assignment History
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, Meehan served at the following:
- 1978–1980: SS. Peter & Paul Church, West Warwick
- 1980–1991: St. Mary Church, Cranston
- 1991–1996: St. Augustine Church, Providence
- 1996–2002: St. John the Baptist Church, West Warwick
- 2000–2002: St. James Church, West Warwick
- 2002–2013: St. Timothy Church, Warwick
- 2013: Suspended on leave
- 2015: Laicized
The Allegations Against Father Barry Meehan
Meehan was the subject of repeated internal warnings and complaints over more than a decade, yet the Diocese allowed him to remain in ministry and even transferred him to a new parish before finally removing him.
- 1983: According to the report, Meehan began abusing the first known victim, a 15-year-old boy, while assigned as assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Cranston. The boy later told the Diocese that the pastor of St. Mary’s at the time knew he was frequently in the rectory and had instructed Meehan not to allow boys on the second floor, yet the abuse continued for years and eventually included more than 25 reported incidents.
- 1986: A second boy said Meehan began grooming him with jewelry and designer clothes shortly before his 16th birthday, then brought him to his rectory bedroom, where the abuse escalated over several years to include masturbation and oral sex on hundreds of occasions.
- 1998: A parishioner at St. John the Baptist Church told the Diocese’s Office of Education and Compliance that Meehan might be having an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old boy who was frequently seen near the rectory bedrooms. There is no record that the diocese ever followed up with the boy or his family or that Meehan was told about the complaint.
- 2002: After Meehan was transferred to St. Timothy’s, a nun from the parish reported concerns to Bishop Robert Mulvee about Meehan’s close relationships with minors, including boys who had reportedly been given credit cards and the use of a car.
- 2006: The first known victim formally reported his abuse to the Diocese. Diocesan officials questioned the man’s credibility, and the diocese’s review board voted that the allegation was unsubstantiated, allowing Meehan to remain in ministry.
- 2010 and 2011: Bishop Thomas Tobin received three separate anonymous letters from St. Timothy parishioners urging him to remove Meehan from the parish over his conduct toward boys.
- 2012: Two additional victims came forward and later took polygraph examinations that indicated their allegations were truthful.
- 2013: A fourth victim, who was approximately 14 years old at the time of the alleged abuse at St. Timothy’s rectory in the mid-2000s, came forward.
- 2020: A fifth man reported that Meehan, along with another Diocese of Providence priest, Father Roland Lepire, invited him and other altar boys into the St. Mary’s rectory to play chess, where both priests touched them inappropriately.
Bishop Tobin ultimately suspended Meehan’s priestly faculties in January 2013 and referred the complaints to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In his official evaluation of the case, Tobin wrote that he did not consider Meehan a danger to young people, but concluded that “I deem Father Meehan unsuitable for any future ministry” with children. (Appendix A)
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith responded that two of the victims were not considered minors under canon law, since both were 16 or older at the time of the abuse. Bishop Tobin then encouraged Meehan to seek laicization voluntarily.
Father Barry Meehan’s Criminal Proceedings
In November 2014, Rhode Island State Police arrested Meehan and charged him with five counts of first-degree sexual assault tied to two of the victims. A Providence County grand jury returned an indictment against him. Meehan pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.
He died of a heart attack in December 2016, weeks before a scheduled pretrial hearing, and the criminal case against him was never resolved at trial.
Civil Litigation Against Father Barry Meehan
Public court records reviewed for this profile do not show a civil lawsuit filed specifically naming Barry Meehan. Rhode Island’s expanded statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse may still allow individuals abused by Meehan to pursue civil claims against the Diocese of Providence.
The Dangers of Giving Abusers “Second Chances”
Father Barry Meehan’s case illustrates the serious risks of dismissing or failing to investigate repeated warnings about accused clergy.
Diocesan officials received concerns about Meehan’s conduct with children in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2011, yet he was not removed from ministry until a criminal investigation began in 2012, more than a decade after the first warning reached the diocese.
When institutions dismiss complaints or give alleged predators the benefit of the doubt rather than prioritizing child safety, additional children are placed at risk.
Preventing future abuse requires institutions to respond promptly and decisively to allegations, conduct thorough investigations, and place the safety and well-being of children above the reputation or career of the accused.
Support for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Father Barry Meehan, Andreozzi + Foote is here to help.
Recent changes to Rhode Island law have created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
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 Meehan or another religious leader, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
Image sources: Father Barry Meehan, via Bishop Accountability. St. Timothy Church, via Facebook.
