NEW YORK
Albany Times Union

By Brendan J. Lyons

The Albany Roman Catholic diocese’s handling of sexual abuse complaints against priests has the potential to be laid bare in a Vermont federal court where a Glens Falls man has filed an unprecedented lawsuit against the priest who was convicted of taking him across state lines to rape him when he was a young altar boy.

The federal lawsuit is filed against both the diocese and a former pastor, Gary Mercure, in U.S. District Court in Burlington. It was filed there, in part, because Vermont’s statute of limitations, unlike New York’s, allows child abuse victims to sue for damages within six years after they discover any emotional or physical problems attributable to abuse.

“This lawsuit is at an early stage and motions are pending. The claims against the Albany diocese have no factual or legal basis. We intend to vigorously…