Fr. Alfred R. Desrosiers

Accused in a civil lawsuit filed in 1994 of molesting a girl, including rape, 1972-1974, beginning when the girl was age 15. Derosiers was assigned at the time to St. Joan of Arc in Cumberland.  She was involved in the CYO and Desrosiers was a family friend. The girl said she told the Director of the CYO in 1974, but nothing was done. She came forward to the Diocese in 1993; they did not inform law enforcement until almost a year later. Desrosiers was sent to Boston College for a sabbatical. He was criminally charged with rape in 9/1995. A trial was scheduled for Fall 1997 but portions were appealed to the RI Supreme Court as of 4/1998. The case was still pending when Desrosiers died 2/15/2001. A second lawsuit was filed in 1994 by a woman claiming sexual abuse by Derosiers in 1975 or 1976, when she was age 16 and a St. Joan of Arc parishioner. She had been sent to Desrosiers by her parents for counseling. Both claims settled, one in 9/2002 as part of $13.5M mass settlement involving 36 victims of priest abuse in the Providence diocese and allegations against 11 priests and a nun. In 2019 a woman told the Diocese that Desrosiers sexually abused her in 1974 or 1975 when she was age 14 or 15; she was working part-time at St. Joan of Arc and was involved in the CYO; Desrosiers was a family friend who often visited their home. In 2012 the Diocese received a report that Desrosiers sexually abused an altar boy, beginning when the boy was age 8 in 1980, at Our Lady of Victories in Woonsocket. The abuse continued for four years and included rape. Further, Desrosiers allegedly would force the boy to perform oral sex on him, withholding tips from serving at weddings until he did so. Included 7/1/2019 on the Diocese’s list of credibly accused. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report.