Fr. Paul Charland

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 7/1/2019. Removed from ministry 8/26/2011. Included in the 3/4/2026 RI Attorney General’s Report. A woman reported in 2002 that Charland sexually abused her in 1980 or 1981, when she was a 15-year-old student at St. Raphael’s Academy. Charland was a guidance counselor and CYO teacher at the school. The abuse involved fondling and kissing. The woman said she saw Charland do the same thing to her friend. The abuse was known to the Diocese in 1/1982; a priest told Bishop Angell in a letter that Charland’s behavior “covered ten years” and that Charland could not deny to the priest that he had kissed the 15-year-old girl, who had disclosed the abuse to the priest. Charland was sent to the House of Affirmation in Whitinsville MA for treatment, then was assigned in 1983 to a parish in Coventry. In 1992 parishioners at a Foster parish, where he had been assigned as pastor, complained to the Diocese about Charland’s behavior with children. He was kept in ministry. In 2003 a woman told State Police that Charland groped and kissed her during a boating outing with her family in 7/1999, when she was age 15. No prosecution due to the RI statute of limitations. Charland was kept in ministry. He was sent for a psychological evaluation in 2/2004, and again in 6/2006 because he did not follow previous recommendations. Removed from his parish, assigned to nursing homes and assisted living centers. In 5/2011 a woman complained of recent unwanted kissing and hugging by Charland. He was removed from public ministry and allowed to retire as a senior priest. Sent to live at Regina Cleri. 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.