Fr. Roger E. Belhumeur
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese on its list 7/1/2019. Died 9/28/2010. Per the list, allegation(s) were received after Belhumeur’s death. Included in the 3/5/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report, which notes that in 5/1970 a man told the Diocese in a letter that Belhumeur had sexually assaulted his teenage son. The abuse stopped after the father’s complaint. The family were parishioners of St. Rose of Lima in Warwick, where Belhumeur was assigned. Some of the abuse reportedly took place during Belhumeur’s subsequent assignment at Immaculate Conception in Cranston. He was kept in ministry. The alleged victim came forward to the Diocese in 9/2005, saying he was sexually abused by Belhumeur 30-40 times 1969-1970. He was and was “stunned” to learn of his father’s 1970 letter. The Director of the Diocese’s Office of Education and Compliance, Robert McCarthy, told the alleged victim that he believed him, but that there was no need to interview Belhumeur because he was 80-years-old and “I don’t know if he’s got all his marbles.” In 2022 another man reported to the Diocese that he was sexually abused as an altar boy by Belhumeur at St. Mary’s in Newport. Belhumeur was a fill-in priest at St. Mary’s 1974-1975.
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