Key Takeaways
- According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Father Rene Guertin was accused of sexually abusing at least five children while serving at St. Aloysius Home and Our Lady of Good Help Church.
- The Report states that diocesan records show church officials received concerns about Guertin as early as 1973, years before his retirement.
- Guertin is included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence.
Who Was Father Rene Guertin?
Father Rene Guertin was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served in Rhode Island for over three decades.
Born on January 20, 1919, Guertin was ordained on June 15, 1946. According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, his assignments included:
- 1946: St. Andrew Church, New Shoreham
- 1946–1952: St. Xavier Academy, Providence
- 1946–1969: St. Aloysius Home, Smithfield
- 1952–1969: La Salle Academy, Providence
- 1969–1980: Our Lady of Good Help Church, Burrillville
Guertin retired in 1980 and died on January 23, 1982.
Guertin was publicly identified on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence, and the 2019 Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy.
Allegations Against Father Rene Guertin
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Guertin was accused of sexually abusing at least five children—boys and girls— between the 1950s and 1970s. Most of the reported abuse allegedly occurred at St. Aloysius Home in Smithfield, where Guertin served for more than two decades.
One woman alleged that Guertin repeatedly sexually abused her for seven years beginning in 1970, when she was 10 years old, while he served at Our Lady of Good Help Church in Burrillville. She often cooked, cleaned, and spent the night there.
According to the Attorney General’s Report, two sisters also alleged they were sexually abused while living at St. Aloysius Home. One “reported that the abuse occurred when she was preparing to make her first Holy Communion and also reported that one of the nuns employed at St. Aloysius would lead [her] to Guertin’s room. After the abuse, Guertin would reportedly give the complainant a piece of candy, and the nun would be waiting outside the room to take her back to her bed.”
The Attorney General’s Report also documents allegations from two men who reported severe physical abuse while children at St. Aloysius Home. One reported that Guertin “forced him to strip naked in his office and then beat him on the buttocks with a stick and reprimanded him for trying to report that he was sexually abused by older male residents at the orphanage.”
Another reported repeated physical abuse and an attempted sexual assault.
The Diocese’s Response to Allegations Against Father Rene Guertin
Although the documented allegations surfaced after Guertin’s death in 1982, the Attorney General’s Report identified evidence suggesting diocesan officials may have received warning signs years earlier:
“One of the first indications that the Diocese may have been aware of Father Guertin’s improper behavior towards young girls dates back to 1973. On May 22, 1973, Director of Personnel Father Bertrand Theroux wrote a memo to Bishop Louis Gelineau that a trustee of Our Lady of Good Help Parish had reported that a 14-year-old girl was living in the rectory. The records produced by the Diocese do not contain any information about what, if anything, Bishop Gelineau did in response to receiving this information. No additional records concerning sexual misconduct by Guertin surfaced until 2007.” (Appendix A)
Former residents of St. Aloysius Home have since filed multiple civil lawsuits alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the orphanage.
In 1994, St. Aloysius Home closed “due to multiple reports of child sexual abuse.” (Bishop Accountability)
Readers seeking additional information regarding the allegations against Father Guertin 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.
Were You Harmed by Father Rene Guertin?
Although Father Rene Guertin died in 1982, survivors may still have legal options against institutions who turned a blind eye to abuse by religious leaders.
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 Rene Guertin, or another clergy member, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law
Image source: St. Aloysius Orphanage, courtesy of Pinterest.
