Father Paul Tousignant

Paul Tousignant Catholic Priest Diocese of Providence

Ordained: 1951

Status: Accused / Laicized

Deceased: 1987

Assignment History

1951-1954: St. Vincent Church (Coventry, RI)
1954-1955: St. Joseph Church (Woonsocket, RI)
1955-1956: Precious Blood Church (Woonsocket, RI)
1956-1964: Our Lady of Consolation Church (Pawtucket, RI)
1960: Suspended on leave, Via Coeli Monastery (Jemez Springs, NM)
1964: St. Edward Church (Pawtucket, RI)
1965: St. Vincent de Paul Church (Coventry, RI)
1965-1967: Suspended on leave
1967: Laicized

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Father Paul Tousignant

Father Paul Tousignant was ordained a priest in 1951 and served in the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. He was assigned to parishes in Coventry, Woonsocket, and Pawtucket before being suspended from ministry, sent to Via Coeli Monastery in New Mexico, and later laicized.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Tousignant was included in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Based on the available source information, Tousignant does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of credibly accused clergy.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, Tousignant was accused of sexually abusing two boys in the 1950s while serving at Rhode Island parishes. Tousignant died on May 27, 1987.

Allegations Against Father Paul Tousignant

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, in 2013, a man told the Archdiocese of Denver that Tousignant sexually abused him at a Woonsocket parish in 1956. The alleged victim died before the Diocese of Providence could investigate the allegation.

In 2019, another man told the Diocese that Tousignant sexually abused him in the late 1950s when he was an altar boy, between the ages of 12 and 15, at a Pawtucket parish.

According to BishopAccountability.org, the Pawtucket allegation involved abuse while Tousignant was assigned to Our Lady of Consolation Church.

Diocese of Providence Response to Father Paul Tousignant Allegations

According to BishopAccountability.org, Tousignant was sent in 1960 to the Servants of the Paraclete treatment center at Via Coeli Monastery in Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

Tousignant later returned to active ministry in early 1964, but was suspended again in late 1965 and did not return to ministry. He was laicized in 1967.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report, the Diocese produced no records explaining the reason Tousignant was sent to Via Coeli in 1960 or why he was later suspended again before being laicized.

Father Paul Tousignant and Institutional Failures

Tousignant’s case reflects concerns raised in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s 2026 report about incomplete diocesan records, clergy sent to treatment, and priests who were returned to ministry after unexplained suspensions.

According to the available source information, Tousignant was suspended and sent to Via Coeli in 1960, returned to ministry in 1964, suspended again in 1965, and laicized in 1967. The Diocese reportedly produced no records explaining the reasons for those actions.

Tousignant was included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of credibly accused clergy in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence. Based on the available source information, he does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Father Paul Tousignant

Can I sue for sexual abuse by a priest in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, allows survivors of child sexual abuse to file claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. You can bring a claim during this two-year window regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Because there is a deadline to file your claim, survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.

How long do I have to sue for sexual abuse in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year window for certain older child sexual abuse claims beginning July 1, 2026. Claims must be filed by June 30, 2028. Survivors should not wait, because it may be necessary to gather relevant documents, investigate the claim, and determine the appropriate parties to sue.

Can the Diocese of Providence be sued for my sexual abuse by a priest?

Possibly. Survivors may have claims against the Diocese of Providence or another Catholic institution, including parishes, schools, treatment programs, or youth-serving institutions, if there is evidence that the institution knew or should have known about the risk of abuse and failed to protect children. Horowitz Law attorneys can review the facts of your case and explain your legal options.

Was Father Paul Tousignant listed as credibly accused by the Diocese of Providence?

Based on the available source information, no. Father Paul Tousignant does not appear to be included on the Diocese of Providence list of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor. However, he was included on the Rhode Island Attorney General’s list of credibly accused clergy in Appendix A of the Attorney General’s 2026 report on child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Providence.

Rhode Island Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Rhode Island’s new law creates a two-year revival window, beginning July 1, 2026, for certain older child sexual abuse claims. Horowitz Law is bringing these lawsuits in Rhode Island and has collected evidence of the Diocese of Providence’s negligence. The revival window allows survivors of clergy sexual abuse to pursue claims that were previously blocked by the statute of limitations. Filing deadlines will apply, so survivors should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.

Horowitz Law Is Here to Help

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy connected to the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by a priest or clergy member in Rhode Island may have legal options due to Rhode Island’s new two-year revival window for certain child sexual abuse claims, but filing deadlines will apply, so do not delay in reaching out to us.

Father Paul Tousignant – Diocese of Providence