Fr. John Aquinas Powers

Named publicly as accused by the Dominicans’ St. Joseph Province on its list in late 2018, which notes that Powers became a part of the Province of St. Martin de Porres when it was formed in 1979, and that an allegation was established in 2009. Powers died 10/19/2010. Per his obituary, Powers was a Marine chaplain in China, Japan and Pacific Islands 1955-1959. He worked in a variety of parish and special assignments 1960-1996, including in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North and South Carolina and New Orleans LA. Included on the Raleigh diocese’s list in 10/2018, for allegations around 2002 of abuse in 1966 in the Raleigh diocese. On the Providence diocese’s list 7/1/2019 of credibly accused. On the Columbus diocese’s list 12/13/2019. On the Fall River diocese’s list in 1/2021 of credibly accused. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report, which shows that Providence diocesan officials received an allegation in 1995 from the Dominicans that Powers had sexually abused a boy while assigned to St. Pius V in the 1960s; the Order knew of the allegations for about ten years and said that it had been adjudicated civilly. Providence received a second allegation in 2008, from a man who said Powers fondled him at age 14 or 15, on one occasion, in the early 1960s at St. Pius V. The man subsequently received a settlement from the Dominicans.