Father Paul Charland served as a Diocese of Providence priest for roughly 40 years. He is named on both the Diocese’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy and in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence. The record shows that diocesan leaders knew about concerns involving Charland as early as 1982, yet allowed him to continue in active ministry for nearly three more decades. If you or someone you love was harmed by Father Charland, you are not alone, and what happened was not your fault. A sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights and your options under Rhode Island law.

Table of Contents

• Who Is Father Paul Charland and What Did the Diocese Know?
• A Pattern of Reassignment and Institutional Silence Around Father Charland
• The Diocese’s Failure to Escalate Charland’s Case to the Vatican
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Two-Year Window for Survivors
• How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Survivors of Father Charland’s Abuse
• FAQs About Father Paul Charland and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Is Father Paul Charland and What Did the Diocese Know?

Father Paul Charland was born on April 24, 1945, and ordained a priest for the Diocese of Providence on May 15, 1971. Over the following four decades, he served at parishes and institutions across Rhode Island, including a role at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, where he worked as a guidance counselor and Catholic Youth Organization teacher.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Appendix A report, Father Paul Charland allegedly sexually abused a 15-year-old student at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket in 1980 or 1981 while serving as a guidance counselor and Catholic Youth Organization teacher. The alleged abuse involved fondling and kissing, and the victim reported witnessing Charland do the same to her friend.

The Diocese was aware of the conduct as early as January 1982, when a priest informed Bishop Angell that Charland’s behavior had covered ten years and that Charland could not deny kissing the student. Rather than remove him from ministry, the Diocese sent him to the House of Affirmation, a treatment center in Massachusetts. Despite this, Charland returned to active ministry in 1983.

What is especially troubling is what happened to the records from that treatment. A handwritten note signed by Monsignor William Varsanyi states that pages from a 1983 report from the House of Affirmation regarding Father Paul Charland were destroyed at the request of the neuropsychologist at the treatment center. Those pages were never produced to the Attorney General’s Office. The destruction of those records made it harder for survivors to prove what the Diocese knew and when it knew it.

A Pattern of Reassignment and Institutional Silence Around Father Charland

After returning from treatment in 1983, Father Charland was not quietly sidelined. He was reassigned to active parish ministry and moved through multiple communities across Rhode Island, including assignments in Woonsocket, Tiverton, and North Providence. Each move placed him in contact with new congregations and new children.

In 1992, Charland’s transfer to St. Paul the Apostle Church in Foster caused an outcry. Several parishioners wrote to Diocese officials expressing concerns about their new pastor and rumors of his conduct with children. “I am afraid that our parish children are at risk,” wrote one parishioner. Rather than investigate seriously, a chancellor assured parishioners that there was no reason to be alarmed, even writing in a letter to one parishioner that he could assure them their fears were groundless.

In 2003, a second victim reported that Charland allegedly groped and kissed her during a boating outing in July 1999, when she was 15 years old. A Diocesan investigator interviewed Charland, and a Child Protection Board reviewed the incident. The Board issued recommendations, but did not change his assignment. Charland stayed at St. Paul the Apostle in Foster for several more years.

This is a pattern that the Attorney General’s report describes in detail across multiple accused priests, where complaints triggered warnings or evaluations but rarely resulted in removal. Survivors who came forward were often met with institutional reassurance rather than accountability. If you worked with a sexual abuse lawyer familiar with this pattern of diocesan conduct, you would not be starting from zero. The Attorney General’s report has already documented much of what happened.

The Diocese’s Failure to Escalate Charland’s Case to the Vatican

Under Catholic canon law, credible allegations of child sexual abuse by a priest are supposed to be reported to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In Father Charland’s case, that never happened, despite multiple complaints spanning decades.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report found that Charland was accused of abusing at least two children over the course of his 40-year ministry, yet the Diocese never referred him to the Vatican for removal from the priesthood. None of the allegations were sent to the Vatican. Chancellor Timothy Reilly in 2016 said that Bishop Tobin told him not to forward the initial allegation because he didn’t believe the allegation was credible.

A canon law professor reviewing the case in 2011 concluded that the 2002 and 2003 complaints should have been reported to the Vatican years earlier. Bishop Tobin acknowledged in a decree that those complaints “were examined informally by diocesan officials but without reaching a formal conclusion,” and that a report was never forwarded to the Vatican even though the evidence suggested a violation of canon law had taken place.

Paul Charland, a diocesan priest, was publicly identified by the Diocese of Providence on July 1, 2019, as having a credible accusation of sexual abuse of a minor. The diocese reported that he was removed from ministry on August 26, 2011. That removal came only after a third complaint, this one involving an adult, reached the Diocese. Two prior complaints involving teenage girls had not been enough to end his ministry.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Two-Year Window for Survivors

For many survivors of Father Charland’s abuse, the biggest obstacle to civil justice has been time. Under older Rhode Island law, claims that were not filed within the applicable period were permanently closed. That has now changed in a significant way.

On June 11, 2026, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed legislation giving survivors of childhood sexual abuse a new opportunity to pursue civil claims that would otherwise be permanently closed. The legislation (2026-H 7200A, 2026-S 2616A) was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Mark McKenney.

Governor Dan McKee signed legislation amending the statute of limitations for child victim claims of sexual abuse and creating a two-year window for victims to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The new law establishes a two-year civil “revival window” that opens from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. During this 24-month period, survivors can file civil suits even if the statute of limitations on their claims had previously expired.

In 2023, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the 2019 law only applied to suits against individual perpetrators, not the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. The new 2026 law directly addresses that gap. Survivors can now pursue claims not just against individual abusers, but against institutions like the Diocese of Providence that are accused of enabling or concealing abuse. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred. The window is open now, and it will not reopen. If you believe you have a claim, speaking with a Rhode Island sexual assault lawyer as soon as possible is the most important step you can take.

How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Survivors of Father Charland’s Abuse

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse often carry their experiences alone for years, sometimes decades. Shame, fear, and distrust of institutions can all delay the decision to come forward. None of that means your claim is any less valid. What happened to you was not your fault, and you deserve to have someone in your corner who understands both the law and the weight of what you have been through.

Sommers Schwartz represents survivors of sexual assault and sexual abuse across Rhode Island and multiple states. Our attorneys understand the specific history of the Diocese of Providence, including the conduct documented in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report. That report accused the Catholic Diocese of Providence of a “well-worn pattern” of failing to remove dozens of priests accused of child sexual abuse and keeping the abuse secret over decades. The report identified 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950.

Father Charland’s case is one example within that broader pattern. The Diocese received complaints about him in 2002 and 2003, issued warnings, and left him in ministry. It took a third complaint in 2011 to finally suspend him. That kind of institutional failure is exactly what the new 2026 law was designed to address. Claims against the Diocese and other enabling supervisors are now available to survivors who previously had no legal path forward.

Sommers Schwartz offers free, confidential consultations. We handle these cases with discretion and compassion, and we do not charge any fees unless we recover for you. You do not need to have reported the abuse to police or to the Diocese to speak with us. Reaching out is the first step, and we are here to walk through it with you.

FAQs About Father Paul Charland and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Was Father Paul Charland ever criminally prosecuted for his alleged abuse?

Father Charland was not criminally prosecuted. When a second survivor reported her abuse to the Rhode Island State Police in 2003, no prosecution followed because the Rhode Island criminal statute of limitations had already expired. The new 2026 civil revival window (H-7200A/S-2616A) addresses civil claims, not criminal charges, but it does give survivors a meaningful path to hold both Charland and the Diocese accountable in civil court.

Can I file a civil claim against the Diocese of Providence, not just against Father Charland?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law, signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, creates a two-year window specifically for survivors to bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The Diocese of Providence’s documented handling of complaints against Father Charland makes it a potential defendant in civil litigation during this window period, which runs through June 30, 2028.

What if I never reported the abuse to the Diocese or to police? Can I still file a lawsuit?

Yes. You do not need to have filed a police report or a diocesan complaint to pursue a civil claim. Many survivors of clergy abuse never reported to authorities, and that does not disqualify them from seeking civil justice. The 2026 revival window is open to survivors regardless of whether they previously disclosed the abuse. Speaking with an attorney confidentially is the best way to understand your specific situation.

How long do I have to file a claim under Rhode Island’s new 2026 law?

The two-year revival window opened on July 1, 2026, and closes on June 30, 2028. If your claim was previously time-barred, you must file before that deadline or risk losing your right to bring that claim permanently. Given how quickly two years can pass, and given the time needed to gather records and build a case, contacting an attorney now rather than waiting is strongly advisable.

What should I do first if I believe I was abused by Father Charland?

The most important first step is to speak with an attorney who handles clergy sexual abuse cases in Rhode Island. You do not need to have all the details figured out before you call. An attorney can help you understand whether your claim falls within the revival window, what evidence may be available, and what the process looks like going forward. Sommers Schwartz offers free, confidential consultations, and speaking with us does not obligate you to take any further action.

More Resources About Clergy Abuse

• Diocese of Providence Clergy Abuse
• Father John Abruzzese
• Father Raymond Allard
• Father Argencourt
• Father Azzarone
• Father Barnes
• Father Battel
• Father Belhumeur
• Father Bordignon
• Father Dennis Brodeur
• Father Campbell
• Father Carpentier
• Father Cavanaugh
• Father Corbesero
• Father Crafton
• Father D’Angelo
• Father DeAngelis
• Father Louis Demers
• Father Albert Desrosiers
• Father Paul Desrosiers
• Father Diogo
• Father Dolan
• Father Doran
• Father Dunn
• Father Dziob
• Father Edes
• Father Feeney
• Father Oscar Ferland
• Father Ferry
• Father Fitzgerald
• Father Flanagan
• Father Gagnon
• Father Gillooly
• Father Gorton
• Father Guertin
• Father Holden
• Father James Jackson
• Father Edward Kelley
• Father Lacasse
• Father LaMountain
• Father Leboeuf
• Father Paul Henry Leech
• Father Lepire
• Father Lonardo
• Father Philip Magaldi
• Father Manu
• Father Normand Marcantonio
• Father Joseph McCra
• Father McIntyre
• Father Meehan
• Father Meglio
• Father Menard
• Father Micarelli
• Father O’Connell
• Father J.F. O’Neil
• Father W. O’Neill
• Father Powers
• Father Rafferty
• Father Raiche
• Father Reynolds
• Father Rocha
• Father Sadowski
• Father Santagata
• Father Francis Santilli
• Father John Scagnelli
• Father Smyth
• Father Tanguay
• Father Tedeschi
• Father Tormey
• Father Tousignant
• Father Turillo
• Father Ventre