Vt. Roman Catholic Diocese to sell Burlington headquarters, camp to pay sex judgments

Vt. diocese to sell HQ, camp to pay sex judgments

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Vermont’s Roman Catholic Diocese is planning to sell its Burlington headquarters and a Lake Champlain children’s camp to help settle lawsuits by victims of priest sexual abuse.

Diocese Attorney Tom McCormick says the church is ready to relocate its offices and settle lawsuits alleging sexual abuse of altar boys by priests. Twenty-five priest sex abuse cases are pending and the diocese just reached an out-of-court settlement against a man who had been awarded $8.75 million by a jury.

A lawyer representing former altar boys suing the diocese says church officials could’ve done this a long time ago. Jerome O’Neill calls the church’s announcement a public-relations ploy, and he says actions speak louder than words.