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 bankruptcy protection have not emerged. It appears likely to me that the Diocese will need to re-organize financially under the protection of the Bankruptcy Court. 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.
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