Key Takeaways
- Father John Tormey 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, two sisters said Tormey sexually abused them starting in the late 1960s, when they were 13 to 14 years old.
- Survivors of clergy sexual abuse may have civil legal options against the institutions that enabled or failed to prevent abuse.
Who Was Father John Tormey?
Father John Tormey was ordained in 1967 and served at parishes and schools in East Providence and Providence before voluntarily resigning from the priesthood in 1979 to marry. He went on to teach psychology and thanatology at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts for 35 years.
Tormey is identified on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report and was added to the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy in July 2019. According to the report, both known victims were sisters who described being abused at multiple locations, including his rectory, over several years starting when they were in seventh or eighth grade. (Appendix A, p. 350)
Father John Tormey Assignment History
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Report, Tormey served at:
- 1967: Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Providence
- 1967–1973: St. Margaret Church, East Providence
- 1970–1973: St. Mary Academy Bay View, Providence
- 1973: Sabbatical, studying journalism, then Blessed Sacrament Church, Providence
- 1973–1974: House of Affirmation, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, and St. Maria Goretti Church, Pawtucket
- 1974–1979: St. Francis Xavier Academy and St. Joseph Hospital, Providence
- 1979: Resigned
The Allegations Against Father John Tormey
Two sisters told the Diocese that Tormey, newly ordained and close with their family, abused them for years beginning when they were in seventh or eighth grade in the late 1960s, at the movie theater, their parents’ basement, his aunt’s beach house, and elsewhere, forcing them to touch and masturbate him and touching their breasts and pelvic region.
They said the abuse escalated to forced oral sex during a family trip to Florida around 1968, when they were 13 or 14. One recalled Tormey telling her he “needed to touch her to see what a girl’s body felt like” because “God would want him to know.”
The sisters reported the abuse to the Attorney General’s Office in 2002 but declined to press charges to avoid publicity, so no police investigation followed. They formally reported to the Diocese in 2003; compliance director Robert McCarthy interviewed them but was told the Church had no authority over Tormey since he’d left the priesthood decades earlier, and there is no record he ever notified Tormey of the complaint.
A 2014 internal review found “insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove” the allegations. Only in 2019, when a new compliance director reviewed the file, discovered Tormey had never been informed, and reopened the case, was Tormey finally interviewed and told of the specific allegations against him.
Tormey acknowledged an “affectionate” relationship with the family and confirmed the Florida trip occurred but denied any non-consensual contact, claiming instead that the teenage sisters had attempted to touch him and that he rebuffed them. He disputed key details, including the year of the trip and the sisters’ ages at the time. He agreed to a polygraph examination in August 2019; the examiner found the results indicative of deception.
The Diocese’s investigator, reviewing both accounts, wrote that Tormey’s explanations “did not seem to be very credible at all.” One sister died in 2012; the surviving sister maintained a consistent account across her 2003 and 2019 interviews. Her sister’s husband later told investigators the family received a $20,000 settlement from the Diocese, with a confidentiality condition attached.
Father John Tormey’s Criminal Proceedings
Tormey has never been criminally charged. The complainants declined to pursue charges in 2002, and when the Attorney General’s Office invited Tormey to be interviewed by State Police during its 2026 investigation, his attorney declined on his behalf.
Civil Litigation Regarding Father Tormey
According to a family member, the complainants received a $20,000 settlement from the Diocese under a confidentiality agreement; public court records do not show a lawsuit filed directly against Tormey. Tormey’s own defamation lawsuit against the Diocese, Bishop Tobin, and its compliance director, alleging he was never given a chance to defend himself before being publicly listed, remains pending as of this writing.
Support for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse
If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Father John Tormey, 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 Tormey or another religious leader, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
