Three more civil cases were filed on Thursday in Cumberland County Superior Court, alleging the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland failed to respond to allegations of child sexual abuse by priests. Mike Bigos is the attorney for the plaintiff and said multiple survivors have come forward since the statute of limitations on reporting these crimes was lifted last year.
"Abuse was so widespread, at least 40 priests over so many decades since the 1930's. We believe the truth will come out, that the Diocese failed to warn parishioners of child abuse, to the detriment of the families, especially the children," Bigos said.
In one of the cases, Reverend Michael Plourde is accused of molesting two brothers who were altar boys at St. Hyacinth in Westbrook in 1978 and 1979, two years after another allegation of misconduct against him was made. The suits allege the Diocese failed to protect the victims.
Bigos says Plourde was removed from ministry in 1994 following more allegations of misconduct.
