STOCKTON (CA)
California Catholic Daily

The following comes from a September 4 letter issued by the diocese of Stockton.

An update on our financial situation from Bishop Stephen Blaire

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In my letter to you in June, I shared with you some difficult news about the financial situation of the Diocese — the funds we have used to settle sexual abuse lawsuits have been almost depleted, and we have no apparent way to meet the expenses of pending lawsuits and possible future claims.

I promised you we would examine the options available to us, and that I would keep you updated on any developments. This is the reason for my letter to you today.

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…