Key Takeaways
- Brother Robert (Peter) Barnes was accused of sexually abusing a child during the 1950s and sexually assaulting a teenage girl in East Providence in 1963.
- Barnes was a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers religious order and later, a priest in the Diocese of Norwich.
- Barnes died in 2008 and was later identified in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Credibly Accused Clergy in the Diocese of Providence.
Brother Robert Barnes, also known as Brother Peter Barnes, was a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers religious order and later a priest in the Diocese of Norwich. He was the subject of multiple sexual abuse allegations discussed in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Credibly Accused Clergy in the Diocese of Providence.
Brother Robert (Peter) Barnes and His Assignments
Born in 1921, Robert Barnes spent 30 years as a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers religious order, where he was known as Brother Peter Barnes. According to Bishop Accountability, “he worked in RI, New Orleans LA, New York NY, Memphis TN, Paramus NJ. In 1977 he entered the seminary in Weston MA. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1980 for [the] Diocese of Norwich, using his given name, Robert.”
A newspaper clipping from The Day (New London CT) October 25, 1983, mentions his roles as principal for St. Bernard’s High School, associate pastor at New London’s St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London, CT, and associate pastor at St. Patrick Church in East Hampton, CT.
According to his obituary, Barnes was a lifelong educator and pastor of several parishes including Our Lady of Grace Parish on Fishers Island, New York, before “retiring” in 2002. However, according to the Diocese of Norwich’s List of Clergy With Allegations of Substance of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, they removed him from ministry in 2002.
Allegations and Public Record
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, the Diocese received two separate complaints involving Barnes.
In 2002, a woman reported that Barnes sexually assaulted her in East Providence in 1963 when she was 17 years old and further alleged that other Christian Brothers had sexually abused her sisters. The complainant’s sister reportedly witnessed her assault.
“After consulting with the Office of the Attorney General, Rhode Island State Police decided that the evidence was insufficient to support a rape charge because the complainant could not definitively state that penetration had occurred. As a result, prosecution was foreclosed by the statute of limitations.” (Appendix A)
Records reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office indicate that the complainant pursued a civil claim against the Christian Brothers and also sought participation in the Diocese’s arbitration program.
In 2019, an adult man reported that Barnes sexually assaulted him when he was 10 years old during the 1950s while Barnes was working at St. Raphael’s Academy in Pawtucket. According to the report, the abuse involved fondling and masturbation. The allegation was referred to both the Christian Brothers and Rhode Island State Police, but the offense was not prosecutable because Barnes had died in 2008.
Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report notes that Rhode Island State Police re-contacted both complainants in 2024 and 2025, and each reaffirmed their allegations.
Brother Barnes died on July 5, 2008. He is included on the Diocese of Norwich’s List of Clergy With Allegations of Substance of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. However, he was not included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy.
Were You Harmed by Brother Robert (Peter) Barnes? You May Still Have Options.
Even though Brother Robert (Peter) Barnes has died, survivors may still have legal options against the Catholic institutions that supervised his ministry.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of institutional sexual abuse in Rhode Island and nationwide.
If you were abused by Brother Barnes, you may have legal options. When a trusted religious leader exploits their position to commit abuse, the harm can be devastating. Survivors deserve accountability and the opportunity to seek justice.
Our trauma-informed attorneys are here to listen and guide you with compassion through the civil process.
We encourage you to contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law
Image sources: Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, CT, © Google, Google Maps. Br. Peter/Fr. Robert W. Barnes, courtesy of Bishop Accountability.
