Stockton will become 10th American diocese to file for bankruptcy
January 14, 2014
The Diocese of Stockton, California, will file for bankruptcy this week.
Bishop Stephen Blaire, who had warned the faithful in December that diocesan officials had found “no viable option.. other than reorganizing financially under the protection of bankruptcy court,” has confirmed that the diocese will take the “painful but necessary” action.
Stockton will become the 10th Catholic diocese to seek federal bankruptcy relief in the wake of the sex-abuse scandal. Bishop Blaire was forthright in saying that the action was the result of heavy damages paid to victims or clerical abuse. "Very simply, we are in this situation because of those priests in our diocese who perpetrated grave, evil acts of child sexual abuse," he said.
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Further information:
- Diocese to file for bankruptcy (Record)
- Stockton Catholic Diocese to file for Chapter 11 protection (Modesto Bee)
- Stockton diocese likely to be 10th in US to enter bankruptcy (CWN, 12/3/13)
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Posted by: Frodo1945 -
Jan. 14, 2014 6:30 PM ET USA
Bishop Blaire's statements through the years on the economy and related issues are not too credible now that he is stiffing his creditors. Another leader who tells us how to conduct our affairs but can't manage his own affairs.
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Posted by: Defender -
Jan. 14, 2014 1:45 PM ET USA
You're right normnuke. It seems the bishops still have a inordinately large number of homosexual priests that need to leave, but they aren't doing anything about that, either. Bishop Blaire seems to always be taking trips everywhere, which can't be cheap (or is it that is a different thing?).
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Posted by: Tex132 -
Jan. 14, 2014 1:28 PM ET USA
Normnuke, you are absolutely correct. The only higher up I'm aware of who has been held accountable is Msgr.Lynn in Philadelphia who was recently released after spending 18 months in prison when his conviction was overturned. If the Church was a business (and it is) management would have been held more accountable than what we've seen so far. Priests have borne the brunt of the blame. As a survivor of clergy abuse I'm glad at the improvements that have taken place but more needs to be done.
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Posted by: normnuke -
Jan. 14, 2014 11:37 AM ET USA
Yes, those priests are to blame, surely. But so are the higher ups who abetted them for so long.
