Father Charles Dolan served as a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Providence for four decades. During that time, he moved through parishes across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and a complainant later reported that he sexually abused her and other children in his care. He is now formally listed among the credibly accused clergy identified by the Rhode Island Attorney General. If you or someone you love was harmed by Father Dolan, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault. A sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can help you understand your rights and what legal options may be available to you today.

Table of Contents

• Who Was Father Charles Dolan and Where Did He Serve?
• The Abuse Allegations Against Father Charles Dolan
• The Diocese of Providence’s Pattern of Covering Up Abuse
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Legal Window for Survivors
• How Sommers Schwartz Can Help Survivors of Father Dolan’s Abuse
• FAQs About Father Dolan and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Was Father Charles Dolan and Where Did He Serve?

Father Charles Dolan was born on February 17, 1904, and ordained as a Catholic priest on December 20, 1930. He served in the Diocese of Providence until his death on November 9, 1977, and he never formally retired from ministry. His assignment history spans more than 40 years and includes parishes across Rhode Island and into Massachusetts.

According to records from the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, Dolan’s assignments included the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul in Providence, Sacred Heart Church in Providence, St. Joseph Church in Pawtucket, St. Bernard Church in Wickford, St. Brendan Church in Riverside, St. Anthony Church in Woonsocket, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Providence, and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Providence, among others. He also spent a summer in 1949 at the Via Coeli Monastery in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, a facility that the Diocese used for priests with behavioral concerns.

That breadth of movement is significant. Diocesan records show that Bishop McVinney transferred Dolan 16 times over the course of his 40-year ministry. That pattern, moving a priest repeatedly from parish to parish without documented explanation, is one the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report identifies as a recurring method the Diocese used to manage abuse allegations quietly, rather than address them directly.

Understanding where Dolan served matters for survivors. If you attended one of those parishes as a child, or if a family member did, and experienced harm, that history is relevant to any civil claim you may have.

The Abuse Allegations Against Father Charles Dolan

Father Dolan is included on the Diocese of Providence’s Credibly Accused List, which means the Diocese itself determined that the allegations against him meet the threshold of credibility. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office reached the same conclusion in its independent review, including Dolan in Appendix A of its 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

The specific allegation documented in the Attorney General’s report involves a complainant who came forward in 1992. She reported to the Diocese that Dolan had sexually abused her in the early 1950s while he was assigned to St. Brendan’s Church in Riverside. She also alleged that Dolan sexually abused her sister and, in her words, “numerous little girls” there as well.

Dolan had served at St. Brendan’s for only one year, from 1952 to 1953, before being transferred to St. Anthony’s Church in Woonsocket. The Attorney General’s report notes that no records documenting the reason for that transfer were found. Given the Diocese’s well-documented practice of moving accused priests without explanation, the timing of that transfer is notable.

The report also makes clear that Dolan’s allegations were received after his death, which occurred in 1977. That fact does not diminish what survivors experienced. It does, however, affect which legal claims are available and against whom they can be brought. A sexual abuse lawyer can help you evaluate whether a claim against the Diocese or other institutional parties is viable in your situation.

The Diocese of Providence’s Pattern of Covering Up Abuse

Father Dolan’s case does not exist in isolation. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s March 2026 report, released after a six-year investigation, documented a sweeping institutional failure within the Diocese of Providence. The report identified 75 credibly accused clergy, including 61 diocesan priests and deacons, 13 religious order members, and one extern priest, who allegedly abused more than 300 victims between 1950 and 2011.

For more than 70 years, the Diocese of Providence systematically concealed child sexual abuse, prioritizing institutional reputation over child safety, according to the report. Dolan’s 16 transfers fit directly into that documented pattern. The Attorney General’s report describes how bishops repeatedly moved accused priests to new assignments, sometimes to parishes, sometimes to facilities serving vulnerable populations, without alerting parishioners or law enforcement.

This is not an abstract institutional failure. It means that children who were harmed by one priest were then placed in proximity to another accused priest at the next parish. It means that parents who trusted the Church to protect their children were never given the information they needed to keep them safe. And it means that survivors like those who came forward about Father Dolan carried their experiences for decades, often in silence, while the institution that enabled the abuse continued to operate without accountability.

The Diocese’s own credibly accused list, and the Attorney General’s expanded findings, confirm that what happened was real, that it was widespread, and that it was known at the highest levels of diocesan leadership. Survivors who were harmed at any of the parishes where Dolan served deserve to have that institutional failure recognized in a court of law.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law Opens a Legal Window for Survivors

For many survivors, the greatest barrier to justice has never been willingness to come forward. It has been time. Rhode Island’s prior statute of limitations left many survivors with no legal recourse, particularly those abused decades ago who were not ready, or not able, to file a claim within the old deadlines.

That changed on June 11, 2026, when Governor Dan McKee signed H-7200A/S-2616A into law. The new law amends the statute of limitations for claims of sexual abuse of a child and creates 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 takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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. This is a direct response to what the Rhode Island Supreme Court clarified in 2023, when it ruled that an earlier 2019 law applied only to suits against individual perpetrators, not to the institutions or supervisors who enabled them. The new law closes that gap.

Future claims must be filed by whichever date is later: either 35 years from the date of the abusive act or seven years from when the survivor first discovers or reasonably connects their adult injuries to the childhood abuse. The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities and sports leagues, as well as supervisors.

For survivors who were abused by Father Dolan or at any parish where he served, this window is open now. Because Dolan is deceased, civil claims would be directed at the Diocese of Providence and other institutional parties who may have known about the abuse and failed to act. The clock is running. Speaking with a sexual assault lawyer as soon as possible gives you the best chance to preserve your rights before the window closes on June 30, 2028.

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

Reaching out for help after surviving sexual abuse takes real courage. You may have questions about whether what you experienced qualifies as abuse, whether your claim is too old to pursue, or whether you can file without your name becoming public. These are all valid concerns, and they all have answers.

Sommers Schwartz represents survivors of clergy sexual abuse across Rhode Island and beyond. Our attorneys understand the trauma that survivors carry, and we approach every case with the care and respect each person deserves. We know that coming forward is not easy, and we are here to make that process as clear and as supported as possible.

Rhode Island courts allow survivors to file civil claims using a pseudonym, such as Jane Doe or John Doe, in many cases. That means you may be able to pursue justice without your identity being disclosed publicly. Your attorney can explain how that process works and whether it applies to your specific situation.

The two-year revival window created by H-7200A/S-2616A is open now, but it will not stay open forever. Claims that are not filed by June 30, 2028, may be permanently time-barred. If you were abused by Father Dolan, or at any of the parishes where he served, including St. Brendan Church in Riverside, St. Anthony Church in Woonsocket, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Providence, or any other assignment on his record, please contact Sommers Schwartz today. A confidential conversation costs nothing, and it could change everything.

FAQs About Father Dolan and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Father Dolan is deceased. Can I still file a civil claim?

Yes. Because Father Dolan died in 1977, a civil lawsuit would not be filed against him personally. Instead, claims would be directed at the Diocese of Providence and potentially other institutional parties who may have known about the abuse, enabled it, or covered it up. Rhode Island’s new law, H-7200A/S-2616A, specifically creates a two-year revival window for claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or concealing child sexual abuse. An attorney can evaluate the specific facts of your situation and help you understand who may be held accountable.

What is the deadline to file a claim under Rhode Island’s new lookback window?

The two-year revival window opened on July 1, 2026, and closes on June 30, 2028. Any previously time-barred claims against institutions or supervisors must be filed before that date or they may be permanently lost. For survivors whose claims were not previously time-barred, the amended statute of limitations allows claims to be filed up to 35 years from the date of abuse, or seven years from when the survivor first connected their injuries to the abuse, whichever is later. Speaking with an attorney promptly gives you the most time to build your case.

What parishes did Father Dolan serve, and does it matter where the abuse occurred?

Father Dolan served at multiple parishes across Rhode Island and Massachusetts during his 40-year ministry. His Rhode Island assignments included St. Joseph Church in Pawtucket, St. Brendan Church in Riverside, St. Anthony Church in Woonsocket, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Providence, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Providence, and others. The location of the abuse can matter for identifying which institutional parties may be named in a civil claim and gathering supporting records. An attorney can help you understand how the location of your experience fits into your legal options.

Can I file a claim without my name becoming public?

Rhode Island courts allow survivors to file civil claims using a pseudonym, such as Jane Doe or John Doe, in many circumstances. This can protect your identity from public disclosure while still allowing you to pursue a legal claim. The availability of this option depends on the specific facts of your case and how the court handles the request. An attorney at Sommers Schwartz can walk you through this process and help you understand what protections may apply in your situation.

What does it mean that Father Dolan is on the Diocese’s Credibly Accused List?

The Diocese of Providence’s Credibly Accused List includes priests against whom the Diocese itself determined that allegations of child sexual abuse meet a credibility threshold. Inclusion on the list does not constitute a criminal conviction, but it does reflect a formal institutional finding that the allegations are worthy of belief. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office conducted its own independent review and reached the same conclusion, including Father Dolan in Appendix A of its 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. For survivors, this designation can be relevant supporting evidence in a civil claim.

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 Charland
• Father Corbesero
• Father Crafton
• Father D’Angelo
• Father DeAngelis
• Father Louis Demers
• Father Albert Desrosiers
• Father Paul Desrosiers
• Father Diogo
• 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