Robert C. Evans was born September 2, 1947, in Moultrie, Georgia, the son of Ivey Evans and Lolita Baldisseri. After the family moved to Rhode Island, Evans attended primary school in the Providence Public School District. He then entered Our Lady of Providence Seminary High School in Providence, graduating in 1965.[1]
In 1978, Evans was reassigned as assistant chaplain at Rhode Island Hospital and Roger Williams Hospital in Providence and as assistant pastor of St. Lawrence Parish in North Providence, Rhode Island. In 1979, Evans moved from St. Lawrence to St. Mark’s Parish, in Cranston, Rhode Island, as assistant pastor. After four years at St. Mark's, he was appointed in 1983 as administrative secretary to the bishop.[1]
In 1991, Evans was appointed pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, as well as diocesan chancellor and director of the Office of Priests’ Personnel. He was transferred in 1992 to be pastor at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Cumberland, Rhode Island, staying there for five years. In 1997, he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.[1]
In 2001, Evans went again to Rome, this time to serve as director of the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College. He was also a teacher at the college.[1] Evans returned to the United States in 2005 to become secretary at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC. He was reassigned to Rhode Island in 2007 to serve as pastor of St. Philip Parish in Greenville, Rhode Island, and as adjunct faculty member of the Seminary of Our Lady of Providence.[1]
At a November 13, 2018 US Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting on the handling of the sexual abuse allegations by the church, Evans made this defense of how bishops had previously handled these claims: "Many bishops, I would say almost everyone, did the best they could according to the best lights of the time"[5]
On November 23, 2022, Pope Francis accepted Evans resignation as auxiliary bishop of Providence after he reached the retirement age of 75.[6][1]