Key Takeaways
- According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, a woman alleged that Father John Flanagan sexually abused her for several years beginning when she was approximately six years old.
- The alleged abuse reportedly occurred while Flanagan served at St. Patrick Church in Cumberland during the 1960s.
- Flanagan is not included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy.
Who Was Father John Flanagan?
Father John H. Flanagan was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served in numerous Rhode Island parishes for almost four decades.
Born on August 27, 1908, Flanagan was ordained on December 5, 1933. He retired in 1970 and died on March 7, 1973. He is included 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.
Known Assignments
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, Flanagan’s assignments included:
- Camp Yawgoog Boy Scout Camp, Hopkinton (Summer 1934)
- St. Edward Church, Pawtucket (1935–1937)
- Diocese Chancery Office, Providence (1937–1942)
- Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul, Providence (1942–1943)
- St. Bernard Church, Wickford (1943)
- St. Agnes Church, Providence (1943–1944)
- St. Mary Church, Providence (1944–1946)
- St. Francis House, Hillsgrove (1946)
- Sacred Heart Church, East Providence (1946–1947)
- Sick Leave (1947-1951)
- Sacred Heart Church, Pawtucket (1951–1953)
- St. Ann Church, Cranston (1953–1961)
- St. Joseph Church, Pascoag (1961–1962)
- Via Coeli Monastery, Jemez Springs, New Mexico (1962–1963)
- St. Patrick Church, Cumberland (1963–1968)
- Stella Maris Home, Newport (1968–1970)
- Retired (1970)
Allegations Against Father John Flanagan
Father John Flanagan was publicly identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
According to the Report, a woman informed the Diocese in 2016 that Flanagan sexually abused her for years beginning in 1963, when she was approximately six years old and Flanagan had recently been assigned to St. Patrick Church in Cumberland.
The woman reported that Flanagan became close with her family and would sometimes take her on car rides while running errands for her mother. Flanagan allegedly sexually abused her during those outings and at other locations, including on church grounds and at the confessional box at St. Patrick’s. She further alleged that the abuse occurred several times per week and continued until she was approximately 13 years old.
According to the Attorney General’s Report, “Flanagan reportedly instructed the complainant not to tell anyone, as it was ‘their secret,’ and he would often buy the complainant gifts.”
Diocesan records confirmed that Flanagan was assigned to St. Patrick Church during the period in which the alleged abuse occurred.
Flanagan’s Stay at Via Coeli Monastery
One notable detail discussed in the Attorney General’s Report is that “Flanagan was assigned to St. Patrick’s in March 1963, following a 13-month stay at the Monastery of the Servants of the Paraclete, ‘Via Coeli,’ located in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. The Diocese did not produce any records documenting the reason for Flanagan’s stay at Via Coeli.”
Via Coeli Monastery, run by the religious order the Servants of the Paraclete, is a well-known treatment facility for “problem” priests experiencing behavioral difficulties.
Readers seeking additional information regarding the allegations against Father Flanagan should review Appendix A of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
Andreozzi and Foote Represents Survivors of the Catholic Church
Individuals who were abused by Father John H. Flanagan or other members of the clergy may have legal rights.
Survivors whose claims were previously barred by the statute of limitations in Rhode Island now have a renewed opportunity to pursue accountability against the institutions that employed, supervised, or retained abusive clergy members.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we focus exclusively on representing survivors of sexual abuse in civil cases against institutions like the Catholic Church.
If you or a loved one were abused by Fr. Flanagan or another clergy member, our trauma-informed attorneys are here to help you pursue your civil legal options and fight for justice.
Contact us today.
