Key Takeaways
- Father William O’Connell was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sex abuse in the Diocese of Providence as perhaps the most notorious offender priest in the diocese’s history.
- According to the report, O’Connell sexually abused at least 23 boys, ages 9 to 16, between 1950 and 1985, largely at his personal residence in South Kingstown and the rectory of St. Mary’s in Bristol.
- The report states two priests separately warned diocesan officials about O’Connell in 1978 and 1984, years before his 1985 arrest, and that Bishop Louis Gelineau dismissed both warnings as unconvincing.
Who Was Father William O’Connell?
Father William C. O’Connell was a priest in the Diocese of Providence who served in Rhode Island parishes for 35 years before his 1985 arrest, later moving to New Jersey, where he was arrested again in 1994.
O’Connell is included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report and the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy. According to the report, most victims described being pressured to sleep in his bed and given alcohol, either at the St. Mary rectory in Bristol or his South Kingstown residence, and on at least three occasions he abused boys alongside other priests. (Appendix A, p. 268)
Father William O’Connell Assignment History
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, O’Connell served at:
- 1950–1953: St. Francis Church, South Kingstown; St. Brendan Church, East Providence
- 1953–1958: U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps
- 1958–1967: SS. Peter & Paul Church, West Warwick; St. Mary Church, Providence; St. Joseph Church, Central Falls
- 1967–1972: Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton
- 1972–1985: St. Mary Church, Bristol (resigned February 1985)
- 1988: Formally suspended
The Allegations Against Father William O’Connell
O’Connell’s abuse spanned four Rhode Island assignments and, later, New Jersey, with a documented pattern of institutional warnings that went uninvestigated for years.
- 1950s–early 1960s: Three boys, ages 12 to 15, reported abuse beginning at St. Francis Church and continuing after transfers to SS. Peter & Paul and St. Mary’s, Providence, including one incident where O’Connell and a second priest assaulted a boy in front of other children after giving them alcohol.
- 1963–1985, South Kingstown residence: Eight boys, ages 9 to 16, reported abuse at O’Connell’s personal residence, the location of the majority of his alleged crimes. One complainant said O’Connell brought him to the nearby home of Father William Gillooly, where the two priests showed him a book of photographs of naked boys before O’Connell molested him. Two other complainants reported being photographed in bikini-style underwear and discovering restraints and a “guest book” of visiting boys at the property.
- 1968–1970, Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton: Three boys reported abuse at the parish rectory. One complainant’s father confronted a priest there in 1972 after his son disclosed abuse; O’Connell was transferred to Bristol shortly afterward, though the diocese later claimed in litigation it had no record of any complaint before 1978.
- 1971–1979, St. Mary’s, Bristol: Five boys, ages 12 to 17, reported abuse at the rectory. In November 1978, a priest at the parish wrote Bishop Gelineau and Auxiliary Bishop Kenneth Angell describing a “scandal of little boys,” including O’Connell’s habit of taking boys on unsupervised trips. Gelineau found the letter “unconvincing.” In 1984, a second priest independently reported concerns to Angell after seeing O’Connell and a boy together in matching underwear; Angell told him to “gather evidence.” Neither report was investigated or referred to law enforcement, and O’Connell remained in ministry.
An anonymous tip to Rhode Island’s child welfare agency in November 1984, including photographs of boys in underwear, finally triggered a police investigation that led to O’Connell’s arrest three months later.
Father William O’Connell’s Criminal Proceedings
South Kingstown Police arrested O’Connell in February 1985 after two victims came forward; four more complainants followed within days. He was indicted twice that year on a combined 26 counts. In June 1986, O’Connell pleaded no contest to 12 counts of second-degree sexual assault, 10 counts of soliciting, two counts of exploiting minors, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors, receiving five years with all but one suspended.
In 1994, O’Connell was arrested again in New Jersey, where he had been working as a freelance photographer at Catholic parishes and schools. Police found thousands of photographs of naked boys in his home. He was charged with 20 counts related to child sexual abuse and obscenity, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 10 years at a New Jersey treatment facility. He died in 1996; the diocese received 12 additional abuse complaints against him after his death.
Civil Litigation Against Father William O’Connell
O’Connell and the Diocese faced numerous civil suits and settlements, including a 1986 lawsuit by a victim and his mother that settled for more than $2 million, a 1994 suit that settled for $900,000 in 2002, and individual settlements ranging from $25,000 to $340,000 paid to at least six other victims between 2002 and 2005. In 1989, a court dismissed Bishop Gelineau personally from one lawsuit, ruling the Diocese “as a corporation sole” had no legal power to discipline or assign priests, a conclusion the Attorney General’s Report called “bewildering” given the documented evidence otherwise. Rhode Island’s expanded statute of limitations may still allow additional survivors to pursue civil claims against the Diocese.
Support for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Father William O’Connell, 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 O’Connell 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 William O’Connell, via BishopAccountability.org. St. Mary Church, Bristol, © Google, Google Business Profile.
