Key Takeaways
- Father Charles Dolan was accused of sexually abusing at least two girls between 1938 and the early 1950s, according to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report.
- In 1949, Dolan was sent to Via Coeli Monastery in New Mexico for “treatment.”
- Rhode Island’s childhood sexual abuse revival window may provide legal options for survivors seeking accountability from institutions that enabled abuse.
Who Was Father Charles Dolan?
Father Charles Dolan was a priest of the Diocese of Providence who served throughout Rhode Island for about four decades.
Born on February 17, 1904, Dolan was ordained on December 20, 1930. During his ministry, he served at numerous parishes throughout Rhode Island, including assignments in Providence, Pawtucket, Riverside, Cranston, Warwick, and Woonsocket.
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, Dolan was accused of sexually abusing at least two girls between 1938 and the early 1950s. “Although records produced by the Diocese to this Office contain references to Dolan as a ‘sick priest’ as early as 1949, the first documented explicit reference to child sexual abuse allegations does not appear until 1992.”
He was in ministry until his retirement in 1971. He died on November 9, 1977.
Dolan is included on the Diocese of Providence’s List of Credibly Accused Clergy and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report.
Father Charles Dolan Assignment History
Assignments of Father Charles Dolan include:
- Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence (1931)
- Sacred Heart Church, Taunton, MA (1931–1932)
- St. Mary Church, Taunton, MA (1932–1933)
- St. Francis Church, Wakefield (1933)
- Immaculate Conception Church, Providence (1933–1937)
- St. Joseph Church, Pawtucket (1937–1941)
- St. Leo the Great Church, Pawtucket (1941–1942)
- St. Bernard Church, Wickford (1942–1943)
- St. Agnes Church, Providence (1943)
- Sacred Heart Church, Providence (1943–1949)
- Via Coeli Monastery, Jemez Springs, New Mexico (Summer 1949)
- St. Francis Home (Annex of St. Joseph Hospital), Warwick (1949–1952)
- St. Brendan Church, Riverside (1952–1953)
- St. Anthony Church, Woonsocket (1953–1955)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Providence (1955–1958)
- St. Ann Church, Cranston (1958)
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Providence (1958–1967)
- St. Patrick Church, Providence (1967–1971)
- Retired (1971)
Summary of Allegations Against Father Charles Dolan
According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report, one woman reported to the Diocese in 2002 that Dolan repeatedly sexually abused her beginning in 1938 when she was 15 years old and he was assigned to St. Joseph Church in Pawtucket. According to the report, the abuse included rape in the church rectory.
After this, Dolan was transferred several times to different parishes, though the Diocese did not provide reasons for these transfers in their records. The Attorney General’s Report also notes that Dolan was sent to Via Coeli Monastery in New Mexico for treatment in 1949. In a letter to the facility, Bishop Russell McVinney referred to Dolan as a “sick priest,” but investigators found no other records identifying the specific reason for the treatment. Following his return to Rhode Island, Dolan was assigned as a hospital chaplain and later transferred to St. Brendan Church.
A second complainant reported in 1992 that she, her sister, and “‘numerous little girls from the parish’” were sexually abused by Dolan while he was assigned to St. Brendan in the early 1950s. She alleged that Dolan took some girls to his room, had them undress, photographed them, fondled and caressed them, offered them alcohol, and told them he loved them while distributing communion at Sunday Mass.
For additional information regarding allegations against Dolan and the Diocese’s response, readers may review Appendix A of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Providence and sources compiled by Bishop Accountability.
Rights for Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse
Even though Father Charles Dolan is deceased, survivors may still have civil legal options against the institutions that supervised his ministry.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse across the nation. Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the legal process.
Rhode Island’s newly enacted childhood sexual abuse revival window has created an opportunity for survivors to pursue civil claims that may have previously been barred by the statute of limitations.
If you were abused by Father Charles Dolan or another member of the clergy, we encourage you to contact us today to learn about your legal options.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
📞 (866) 311-8640
📧 info@vca.law
Image sources: Fr. Charles F. Dolan, courtesy of Bishop Accountability.
