Father Paul was born in Providence and educated at Christ the King School in West Warwick and Our Lady of Providence Seminary High School and College in Warwick Neck. He completed his seminary studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland and was ordained to the priesthood on May 26th, 1979 by Bishop Kenneth A. Angell at St. Matthews Church in Central Falls.

Fr. Paul served as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Pawtucket; as part-time spiritual director for the Blackstone Valley CYO and East Bay CYO; as Director of Spiritual Formation and Formation Team Member, Seminary of Our Lady of Providence; as summer chaplain for the Boy Scouts (Camp Yawgoog) and as chaplain for the Youth Ministry Team in Pawtucket.

Fr. Desmarais was named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Pawtucket in 1997 and served there until being named pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Carolina in 2005.