Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., described in detail the financial situation of the diocese in two recent letters to parishioners that were read during weekend Masses. The most recent letter, read during weekend Masses on Sept. 7 and 8, announced the diocese’s plans to consider filing for bankruptcy. The diocese has been making payments stemming from multiple lawsuits over sexual abuse by members of the clergy and is running out of funds for future settlements. By 2010, it had settled 22 sexual abuse lawsuits at a cost of $18.7 million. Currently, the diocese is making payments on three lawsuits and has one suit pending. The decision facing Stockton comes on the heels of the announcement on Aug. 31 of plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Diocese of Gallup, N.M. If the Stockton Diocese goes through with declaring bankruptcy, it will be the 10th diocese to do so as a result of the costs of lawsuits over sexual abuse by clergy. In 2004 the Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., was the first to file for bankruptcy.
Stockton Diocese Considers Bankruptcy
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
As I sit sore and tired, I cannot also help but think that the N.Y.C. Marathon for me is a thin space, a space where I can easily see God’s presence in the world.
Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples has been named as one of the prelates Pope Francis will make a cardinal on December 7th.
“I will not vote for president this year,” Monica Brent writes. “I cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump, for many reasons. However, Kamala Harris’s stance on abortion makes her a no-go for me, as well. ”
Pope Francis, your encyclical on the Sacred Heart, “Dilexit Nos,” is beautiful and heartwarming. And for Catholics in the United States, the timing was perfect.