Key Takeaways
- Father Edward Kelley served as a priest for more than four decades and was accused of sexually abusing three boys during his ministry.
- Kelley was indicted in 2021 on three counts of first-degree sexual assault but was later found incompetent to stand trial due to advanced dementia. He died in 2022 before the criminal case could proceed.
- Rhode Island’s childhood sexual abuse revival window allows survivors to pursue civil claims against institutions that employed, supervised, or retained clergy members accused of abuse.
Who Was Father Edward Kelley?
Father Edward Kelley was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served in Rhode Island parishes for more than four decades before later becoming a U.S. Army chaplain. Born on March 21, 1942, Kelley was ordained on June 8, 1968.
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence, Kelley was accused of sexually abusing three boys during his ministry. The Report found that diocesan officials documented concerns regarding Kelley’s “moral problems” as early as 1978, yet he remained in ministry for decades.
Kelley resigned as pastor of St. Aidan Church in 1992 amid complaints regarding his leadership. The next year, he left Rhode Island to serve as a United States Army chaplain.
Kelley retired in 2013, and his faculties were revoked in 2015 for reasons “apparently unrelated to sexual misconduct.”
Kelley was indicted in 2021 for allegations of abuse in the 1980s. He died while the case was pending. Following his 2021 indictment, the Diocese of Providence added Kelley to its List of Credibly Accused Clergy. He is also included in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
Father Edward Kelley’s Assignment History
- 1968: St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, Narragansett
- 1968–1969: St. Catherine Church, Warwick
- 1969: St. John the Evangelist Church, North Smithfield
- 1969–1974: St. James Church, Manville
- 1974–1976: St. Joseph Church, Pascoag
- 1976–1978: St. Matthew Church, Cranston
- 1978: St. Joseph Hospital, Providence
- 1978–1980: St. Margaret Church, East Providence
- 1980–1985: St. John Church, Slaterville
- 1985–1986: Our Lady of Consolation Church, Pawtucket
- 1986–1992: St. Agatha Church, Woonsocket
- 1992: St. Aidan Church, Cumberland
- 1993: United States Army Chaplain Corps
- 2013: Retired
- 2015: Faculties Revoked
Allegations and Early Warning Signs
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Father Edward Kelley was accused of sexually abusing three boys during his ministry.
According to the Report, “Notably, the Bishops transferred Father Kelley five times between his ordination in 1968 and his two-year assignment at St. Matthew Church in Cranston from 1976-1978, when Diocesan records indicate that the Diocese first addressed his ‘moral problems.’” They recommended that he receive counseling.
The following year, the parents of a teenage boy requested that Kelley meet with their son only in public or with other people present, not alone. “The documents produced by the Diocese do not indicate why the boy’s parents made that request.” Despite those concerns, Kelley continued serving in ministry.
Around 1982, Kelley became the legal guardian of a 14-year-old boy who lived with him in parish rectories for several years. According to the Attorney General’s Report, “The Diocese was aware of the relationship and received multiple complaints, beginning in 1987, that Kelley was sleeping in the same room or bed with the boy. Bishop Louis Gelineau instructed Kelley to separate from the boy, but the Diocese ultimately took no disciplinary action against Kelley and did not report the complaints to law enforcement. Years later, this victim reported to the Rhode Island State Police that Kelley had sexually abused him on numerous occasions.”
The rectory housekeeper reported that the teenage boy was sleeping in Kelley’s room, while another employee described Kelley discussing “past ‘lock-ins’ he has had with boy scouts where he has locked the door and had the youth strip naked to show them how to prevent hypothermia. He’s had them sleep naked explaining that this is a way not to attract wild beasts.’”
Additional Abuse Allegations Against Kelley
Kelley resigned in 1992, after the Diocese received multiple complaints about his leadership. In 1994, another man reported that Kelley had sexually abused him over a six-year period beginning when he was approximately 14 years old. According to the Attorney General’s Report, the survivor met Kelley when Kelley was the Chaplain of his Boy Scout troop. He alleged that Kelley repeatedly sexually assaulted him. He also reported that other Boy Scouts regularly visited Kelley’s home. This survivor died by suicide in 1997.
A third allegation was reported anonymously to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office in 2002 and forwarded to the Diocese. According to the report, the complainant did not want to pursue the matter further.
Readers seeking additional information regarding the allegations against Father Edward Kelley and the Diocese’s response should review Appendix A of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence and the sources compiled by BishopAccountability.
Criminal Case Against Father Edward Kelley
In 2019, the former teenage ward who had lived with Kelley reported abuse to the Diocese and later informed the police, “that Kelley had taken parental custody of him when he was 14 years old because his father was physically abusive. Complainant A reported multiple incidents of oral and anal rape between the years 1982 and 1986 when he was 170 between the ages of 14 and 18.” (Appendix A)
In May 2021, Kelley was arrested in South Carolina on a Rhode Island warrant before being returned to Rhode Island. A grand jury subsequently indicted him on three counts of first-degree sexual assault stemming from allegations that he sexually assaulted the teenage boy in 1983 in North Smithfield, RI.
Kelley pleaded not guilty. In February 2022, a judge found him incompetent to stand trial due to his advanced dementia. He died on September 26, 2022, before the criminal case could proceed.
“The Diocese added Father Kelley to its List of Credibly Accused Clergy only after his indictment in 2021.” (Appendix A)
Were You Harmed by Father Edward Kelley?
Although Father Edward Kelley died in 2022, survivors may still have civil legal options against the Diocese.
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.
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 Edward Kelley or another member of the clergy, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
