Father William Tanguay was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Providence on June 28, 1969. He served in multiple Rhode Island parishes for decades. The Rhode Island Attorney General determined he was one of 72 clergy credibly accused of child sexual misconduct in the Diocese of Providence. His name appears on the Diocese’s official list of credibly accused clergy, and the documented allegations against him span a significant portion of his active ministry. If you were harmed by Father Tanguay, or by another priest or institution in Rhode Island, you are not alone, and what happened to you was not your fault. A sexual assault attorney at Sommers Schwartz can review your situation and help you understand your legal options.

Table of Contents

• Who Is Father William Tanguay and What Did the Diocese of Providence Say About Him?
• How the Diocese of Providence Handled Abuse Complaints Against Father Tanguay
• Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Tanguay Survivors
• What a Civil Lawsuit Against the Diocese of Providence Can Accomplish
• Why Survivors of Clergy Abuse Often Wait Decades to Come Forward
• FAQs About Father Tanguay and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Who Is Father William Tanguay and What Did the Diocese of Providence Say About Him?

Father William Tanguay was born on June 18, 1943, and ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Providence on June 28, 1969. According to his assignment history documented in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report, he served at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in North Providence, and most extensively at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Providence, where he served from 1974 to 1983 and again from 1984 to 1995 as director of the Hmong Ministry. He later served in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Father Tanguay was named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its credibly accused list in July 2019. He was removed from ministry in 2002, and the allegations against him involve abuse in Rhode Island from 1965 to 1981.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s report provides specific detail about the Diocese’s handling of complaints against Tanguay. According to that report, a complainant disclosed in July 2002 that beginning in 1975, Father Tanguay had offered him food and money in exchange for sex inside the rectory at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Providence. That same report documents that the Diocese had previously received a March 2000 complaint that Tanguay had paid a homeless, 16-year-old boy for sex, and that despite the Diocese being in contact with the Office of the Attorney General about prior Tanguay complaints, the Diocese does not appear to have informed the Attorney General’s Office or any other civil authority about the 2002 allegations.

He was suspended on leave in 2000, sent to St. John Vianney Center in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and placed on suspended leave again in 2002. The Diocese formally removed him from ministry on June 17, 2002. As of the time of the Attorney General’s report, Father Tanguay was still living.

How the Diocese of Providence Handled Abuse Complaints Against Father Tanguay

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence is direct: diocesan leadership repeatedly failed to report credible abuse allegations to civil authorities. Father Tanguay’s case is one documented example of this pattern.

The Attorney General’s report shows the Diocese received at least one complaint about Tanguay as early as March 2000, involving a 16-year-old homeless boy. When additional complaints came in during 2002, including allegations that Tanguay had exchanged food and money for sex with a minor inside the rectory at St. Michael the Archangel Church, the Diocese still did not notify law enforcement. This occurred even though diocesan officials had already been in contact with the Attorney General’s Office about earlier Tanguay complaints.

This failure was not isolated to Tanguay’s case. The Rhode Island Attorney General accused the 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 documents how bishops transferred accused priests to new assignments, sometimes in settings with access to children or other vulnerable people, rather than removing them from ministry.

Survivors who came forward about Tanguay did so despite enormous barriers. Institutions like the Diocese held enormous authority, and many survivors feared they would not be believed. The Diocese’s decision to withhold complaints from law enforcement compounded the harm done to survivors and prevented accountability for years. Understanding this institutional failure matters, because Rhode Island’s new law specifically addresses the liability of institutions and supervisors who enabled or covered up abuse.

Rhode Island’s New Child Sexual Abuse Law and What It Means for Tanguay Survivors

Rhode Island’s 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 legislation, designated 2026-H 7200A and 2026-S 2616A, was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee and Senator Mark McKenney. Governor Dan McKee signed it into law on June 11, 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 critical development for survivors of Father Tanguay’s abuse. Before this law, many survivors had no legal path forward because the old statute of limitations had already run out. Now, claims can be brought against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse, not just against the individual perpetrator. That means the Diocese of Providence itself, and those who managed and supervised priests like Tanguay, can potentially be held accountable in civil court.

The push for this law was closely tied to a 284-page report released in March 2026 by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. The report documented more than 300 survivors of abuse within the Diocese of Providence and identified 75 clergy members with credible allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 1950. It also outlined how the Diocese allegedly concealed that abuse for decades.

If you were abused by Father Tanguay and believed your time to seek justice had passed, this law may change that. The window is open now, but it closes on June 30, 2028. Waiting is a risk. Consulting a sexual abuse lawyer now gives you time to build the strongest possible case.

What a Civil Lawsuit Against the Diocese of Providence Can Accomplish

A civil lawsuit is separate from a criminal case. You do not need a police report, a prior conviction, or a criminal investigation to file a civil claim. Civil lawsuits use a lower standard of proof than criminal cases, and they allow survivors to pursue financial accountability from both the individual abuser and the institution that protected him.

In a civil claim related to Father Tanguay’s abuse, a lawsuit can target the Diocese of Providence for its role in receiving, concealing, and failing to report complaints. The documented pattern in the Attorney General’s report, including the Diocese’s failure to notify law enforcement about known Tanguay complaints, supports the kind of institutional liability claims that Rhode Island’s new law (H-7200A/S-2616A) specifically enables.

Civil litigation can also serve purposes beyond money. Many survivors describe the process of being heard, of forcing an institution to answer for its actions, as meaningful in their own healing. A lawsuit creates a formal record. It can compel the production of internal diocesan documents. It can expose what officials knew and when they knew it.

The new law specifically targets institutions and organizations such as churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities, and sports leagues, as well as supervisors. That broad reach means the revival window applies across the institutional settings where abuse occurred, not only in the Catholic Church.

The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz handle these cases with sensitivity and care. They understand that coming forward is one of the hardest things a survivor can do. Their role is to carry the legal burden so you don’t have to carry it alone. Reach out to a sexual assault lawyer at Sommers Schwartz to talk through your options in a confidential, no-pressure conversation.

Why Survivors of Clergy Abuse Often Wait Decades to Come Forward

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse often do not come forward for years, sometimes not for decades. This is not a character flaw. It is a predictable response to a specific kind of trauma. Priests held enormous social and spiritual authority in Catholic communities. Many survivors were children when the abuse occurred. They were told, directly or indirectly, that no one would believe them, or that speaking out would harm their families.

Shame, fear, and self-doubt are common. Many survivors spend years wondering whether what happened to them was really abuse, or whether they somehow caused it. The answer is clear: you did not cause it. What Father Tanguay did was a crime and a betrayal of trust. The responsibility rests entirely with him and with the institution that failed to stop him.

The lookback window reflects a broader recognition that delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. Rhode Island lawmakers understood this when they passed H-7200A/S-2616A. The law does not penalize survivors for the time it took them to be ready to speak. It acknowledges that healing is not linear and that justice should not have an arbitrary expiration date.

The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report also helped many survivors understand for the first time that they were not alone. This reform followed a March 2026 report from the Rhode Island Attorney General documenting decades of child sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence and the institutional failures that allowed it to continue. The report identified 75 credibly accused clergy members and more than 300 victims abused between 1950 and 2011. Reading that report, many survivors recognized their own experiences reflected in the documented patterns. That recognition is often what finally makes it possible to take the next step.

If you are a survivor of abuse by Father Tanguay, or by any other member of the Diocese of Providence, Sommers Schwartz is ready to listen. There is no judgment here, only support, and a team of attorneys who know how to hold institutions accountable.

FAQs About Father Tanguay and Rhode Island Clergy Abuse Claims

Is Father William Tanguay still alive?

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence, Father William Tanguay was still living as of the time the report was compiled. He was born on June 18, 1943, and was removed from ministry by the Diocese on June 17, 2002. His name appears on the Diocese of Providence’s official list of credibly accused clergy, which was first published in July 2019.

Can I still file a lawsuit related to Father Tanguay’s abuse even if it happened decades ago?

Yes, you may be able to file a civil lawsuit under Rhode Island’s new child sexual abuse law (H-7200A/S-2616A), signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 11, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026. The law creates a two-year revival window, running from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, during which survivors can bring otherwise time-barred claims against institutions and supervisors accused of enabling or covering up sexual abuse. This window applies even if your claim would previously have been blocked by the statute of limitations. You should speak with an attorney as soon as possible, because this window closes on June 30, 2028.

Can I sue the Diocese of Providence, not just Father Tanguay personally?

Yes. Rhode Island’s new law specifically allows survivors to bring civil claims against institutions and supervisors who enabled or covered up sexual abuse. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report documents in detail how the Diocese of Providence received complaints about Father Tanguay and failed to report them to civil authorities. That documented institutional conduct is directly relevant to a civil claim against the Diocese itself, separate from any claim against Tanguay personally.

Do I need to have reported the abuse to police to file a civil lawsuit?

No. A civil lawsuit is entirely separate from a criminal case. You do not need a police report, a prior criminal conviction, or any prior formal complaint to pursue a civil claim. Civil cases use a lower standard of proof than criminal cases, and your attorney can gather evidence, subpoena diocesan records, and build your case without any prior criminal proceeding. Many survivors who never reported to police have successfully pursued civil claims against both perpetrators and institutions.

How do I start the process of talking to a lawyer about what Father Tanguay did to me?

The first step is a confidential conversation, with no obligation to move forward. You can contact Sommers Schwartz directly to speak with an attorney who handles clergy sexual abuse claims in Rhode Island. You will not be pressured, judged, or questioned about why you waited. The attorneys at Sommers Schwartz understand the trauma involved in coming forward, and their job is to handle the legal process so you can focus on your own well-being. The revival window under H-7200A/S-2616A is open now, but it closes June 30, 2028, so reaching out sooner gives your legal team more time to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.

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 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 Tedeschi
• Father Tormey
• Father Tousignant
• Father Turillo
• Father Ventre