STOCKTON (CA)
The Record
By Joe Goldeen
Record Staff Writer
September 07, 2013
STOCKTON – Churches within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton will distribute a letter this weekend to their 250,000 parishioners from Bishop Stephen Blaire, describing just how close the diocese is to filing for bankruptcy protection.
“We continue to investigate our options, and no final decisions have been reached. I feel, however, that it is important to tell you that options other than filing for bankruptcy protection have not emerged. It appears likely to me that the diocese will need to reorganize financially under the protection of the Bankruptcy Court,” Blaire wrote in an advance statement issued to the media Friday.
“I want to keep you and the wider community informed as best I can in this process. That is why I am meeting in the days and weeks ahead with your pastors and with others who may be affected by a bankruptcy filing by the diocese,” the statement continued.
During an interview Friday afternoon at the six-county diocesan headquarters in downtown Stockton, Blaire explained why he was issuing his statement now.
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