Vermont Catholic diocese faces new charges

(NECN/WPTZ) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vermont is being sued by 27 people who say they were sexually abused by priests. The plaintiffs say the diocese moved assets to make it harder for abuse victims to collect damages. The new lawsuits claim that in 2005 and 2006, as the Catholic Diocese of Burlington was starting to defend against a wave of priest abuse cases -- Bishop Salvatore Matano developed a plan. Putting cash, investments, and titles to church properties all over Vermont -- from the diocese -- into individual trusts, to put they "out of reach" of the jury's verdict. Attorney Jerry O’Neill, who represents alleged victims of priest abuse says the diocese did transfer titles to property worth between four and seven hundred million dollars, excluding only certain schools and cemeteries from the plan.