A Plover woman has filed a civil lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse, claiming it knew a priest had a history of molesting children, yet let him continue to work with youngsters.

Forty six year old Brenda Varga claims in her lawsuit that church officials assigned the Rev. Raymond Bornbach to a parish in Hewitt in 1968, even though they knew he was abusing children.

Varga says Bornbach molested her in 1971 when she was in third grade. Although The Associated Press does not usually name sexual assault victims, Varga has talked publicly about her case.

An attorney for the diocese, James Birnbaum, says it disputes Varga's fraud claims. Birmbaum says when Varga complained to the diocese in 2003, it investigated the claim and removed Bornbach from priestly duties. Bornbach died in 2006. The diocese has 45 days to respond to the civil lawsuit.