Burlington, Vt Diocese Sells Headquarters to Pay for Sex Abuse Settlements, by Bridgette P. Lavictoire, Lez Get Real, January 10, 2011

Burlington, Vt Diocese Sells Headquarters to Pay for Sex Abuse Settlements

By Bridgette P. Lavictoire
Lez Get Real
January 10, 2011

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/01/burlington-vt-diocese-sells-headquarters-to-pay-for-sex-abuse-settlements/

Vermont has been the scene of one of the more major disputes over the child sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic Church of late. Unlike the Milwaukee Diocese, though, the Burlington Diocese has not declared bankruptcy to get out of dispositions or out of paying those who have sued the Church over past sexual abuses. The diocese has had to sell its headquarters in order to pay those compensation claims that stem from some two dozen lawsuits. In total, the Church owes some $17.65 million, though that may change as some cases are still undergoing appeal, and this sum only reflects those cases that have been settled.

The building was sold for $10 million to Burlington College. The sale has created something of a snag for a residential home that serves almost twenty special needs adults. The sale to the college included that building known as Lakeview Community Care. While the college does have other plans for the building, the Howard Center, which leases the building, will not be evicted. There had been plans to move the residents to St. Marks, a former convent in New North End. Unfortunately, that deal went through according to WCAX.

According to Bill Bick of the Howard Center "We do treat individuals who are living in communal situation differently than we do for example a large family that would move in next door but its understandable that some people have some concern."

Lakeveiw Community Care cannot remain a special needs center, unfortunately, because Vermont law requires that all buildings owned by a college or university must be educational facilities. The move to St. Marks fell through due to objections from neighbors, at least according to Father Bill Giroux.

Giroux wrote in the parish newsletter "After hearing the concerns and reaction of St. Marks neighbors I can assure everyone that we will not enter into any agreement with the Howard Center or any other lessee without broad parish and community support and I welcome continuing input and discussion."

Bick said in response to what Father Giroux said "That effectively reiterates what bishop father Giroux said at public meeting. The parish and diocese were not prepared to move forward in the absence of what they called community support."

Burlington College President Jane Sanders said about the Howard Center "We've been working with them. As you know they're lease has been up since November and we said we need to find you the right place and work with you to make sure you're comfortable — It's a vulnerable population."

It is not the only property that the Burlington Diocese has had to sell in order to pay for these settlements.

The decision by the Milwaukee Diocese to file for bankruptcy has brought out some major criticism, though. David Clohessy, the national director of the Survivers Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, adamantly said that this move "is about protecting church secrets, not church assets. The goal here is to prevent top church managers from being questioned under oath about their complicity, not 'compensating victims fairly.'" Milwaukee is the eighth diocese to file for bankruptcy.