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.