Father William Raiche (1908–1983)

Father William Raiche’s half-century of ministry was spent entirely in two cities — three years at Our Lady of Consolation in Pawtucket, then forty-five years in Woonsocket: twenty-three at Holy Family and twenty at Our Lady of Victories, with a residence and a temporary assignment there after retirement. He is named on the Diocese of Providence’s published List of Credibly Accused Clergy and is among the 72 clergy included in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on the Diocese (Appendix A, p. 2).

What happened to Father Raiche?

According to the Diocese of Providence’s published list, his status reads, in full: “Died 3/26/1983; Predeceased any allegation received”. That is, per the Diocese’s record, he died before any allegation was received. The Attorney General’s entry separately records that he retired on July 8, 1978 (Appendix A, p. 294).

The Attorney General’s Appendix A records that one complainant reported that in August 1967, when she was nine years old, “Father Raiche sexually assaulted her on an Italian ocean liner during a transatlantic voyage from New York to Genoa, Italy,” and that he afterward wrote her “inappropriately affectionate letters” (Appendix A, p. 294). Another complainant reported that in 1968, when she was about five years old, Raiche took nude photographs of her, and alleged that he abused other young girls around the same time (Appendix A, p. 294).

Per the report’s summary, “[a]ll five complainants reported their abuse to the Diocese long after Father Raiche’s death in 1983,” and “[t]he Diocese referred only two of these allegations to law enforcement, in 2020 and 2025, respectively” (Appendix A, p. 294).

Where Father Raiche served: assignment history

The Diocese of Providence publishes the following assignment record:

Source: Diocese of Providence, individual clergy record, verified July 21, 2026; entries reproduced as published. The Attorney General’s Appendix A does not print the Diocese’s final two entries (the 1978–1980 Holy Family residence and the 1980 temporary St. Stanislaus Kostka assignment) and instead adds a “1978: Retired” line (Appendix A, p. 294).

What the official lists say

The Diocese of Providence includes William Raiche on its List of Credibly Accused Clergy – Deceased. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report (March 4, 2026) includes Father William Raiche among the 72 clergy “determined by the Attorney General to have been credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence” (Appendix A, p. 2). He is one of the 75 names on the Diocese of Providence credibly accused list, explained.

The report’s summary of the allegations states: “Father William Raiche reportedly sexually abused at least five girls, 5-12 years old, from about 1967 until the early 1980s. All five complainants reported their abuse to the Diocese long after Father Raiche’s death in 1983. The Diocese referred only two of these allegations to law enforcement, in 2020 and 2025, respectively” (Appendix A, p. 294).

As the Attorney General’s report itself states, unless otherwise noted, the details in its Appendix A are allegations — not facts proven in a courtroom or admitted by the accused — and the individuals named are generally entitled to a presumption of innocence (Appendix A, p. 2). Father Raiche was never criminally charged; per the report, all five complainants came forward long after his death in 1983 (Appendix A, p. 294).

If you were at Holy Family or Our Lady of Victories in Woonsocket — or Our Lady of Consolation in Pawtucket: the Rhode Island revival window

Rhode Island’s revival window allows civil claims for childhood sexual abuse regardless of how long ago it occurred — until June 30, 2028. His death in 1983 does not affect the right to bring a claim; claims are brought against the responsible institution:

• How Rhode Island’s revival window works
• Can you still sue if the priest has died?
• The June 30, 2028 deadline
• Who can file a claim

Frequently Asked Questions

Is William Raiche on the credibly accused list? Yes. He appears on the Diocese of Providence’s published List of Credibly Accused Clergy (Deceased) and in Appendix A of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report.

Was Father Raiche ever criminally charged? No. The Attorney General’s records reflect no criminal charges; the report states all five complainants reported their abuse long after his death, with two allegations referred to law enforcement in 2020 and 2025 (Appendix A, p. 294).

He died in 1983 — can a claim still be filed? Yes. Under the revival window, claims may be filed until June 30, 2028, regardless of when the abuse occurred or whether the priest is living.

If it happened in the 1960s or 1970s — is it too late? Generally, no. The revival window exists precisely for claims the old statute of limitations barred, until June 30, 2028.

Confidential help

If something happened to you at Holy Family, Our Lady of Victories, or Our Lady of Consolation, you can speak with a Rhode Island attorney confidentially, at no cost and with no obligation. You don’t need records or proof in hand to have a conversation, and you don’t need to have told anyone before. Contact Marin & Murphy Law Firm confidentially.

Other credibly accused clergy who served at these parishes

The official assignment records above overlap with those of other clergy on the official lists — the same institution of record, at any period, which is not an assertion that they served there at the same time:

• Father Alfred Desrosiers — also served at Holy Family Church, Woonsocket (+1 more shared)
• Father Edward Kelley — also served at Our Lady of Consolation Church, Pawtucket

Related town records: see all verified Pawtucket records and Woonsocket records.

Reporting resources

Anyone with information about abuse may contact the Rhode Island State Police Special Victims Unit at (401) 764-0142, the RI Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-RI-CHILD (1-800-742-4453), or the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office at (401) 274-4400.

Questions About These Records? Talk With Marin & Murphy — Confidentially

If the assignment history on this page overlaps with your own — a parish, a school, a set of years — and you want to understand what it may mean for a claim under Rhode Island’s revival window, our attorneys can review it with you. Marin & Murphy Law Firm is a Rhode Island law firm representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse under the revival window (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028). A conversation is free and confidential, nothing is filed and no one is contacted unless you decide, and there is no fee unless you recover. Call (401) 269-3381, or start with our Rhode Island clergy abuse lawyer page.

Corrections: we maintain a corrections policy for these pages, with a named contact and a 48-hour review commitment. If you believe anything on this page is inaccurate, please tell us.

Verification: every fact on this page is checked against both official sources — the Diocese of Providence’s published records and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report — with source conflicts stated, not silently resolved. See how this database is verified.

Sources: Diocese of Providence, List of Credibly Accused Clergy and individual clergy record (verified July 21, 2026); Rhode Island Attorney General, Report on the Diocese of Providence and Appendix A (March 4, 2026). Where the two official sources differ (the ordination date (5/21/1932 vs. June 12, 1932); the Diocese’s two post-retirement rows absent from the Attorney General’s list; and the Attorney General’s added 1978 retirement), both are stated with attribution. Information current as of July 21, 2026; official lists are working documents and may change.