The following is a September 20 press release from the Diocese of Stockton:
Today, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockton filed with the bankruptcy court a proposed consensual plan of reorganization. The proposed plan will provide $15 million to survivors of sexual abuse as well as non-monetary commitments which are important aspects of any healing process. The plan demonstrates the Diocese of Stockton’s continued commitment to providing for survivors of sexual abuse in a fair, just and equitable manner from its available resources.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockton filed bankruptcy on January 15, 2014. After months of negotiations and with the assistance of a court-appointed mediator, the Diocese’s plan reflects the resolution of many issues with the creditors committee, insurance carriers and other parties. Key provisions of the proposed plan include:
• $15 million through cash contributions and a promissory note to fund a trust for the exclusive benefit of survivors of clergy sexual abuse,
• payment of at least 50% of what is owed to general unsecured creditors,
• restructuring of secured loans,
• funding for the plan will come from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Stockton, settling insurance carriers and certain other entities associated with the Diocese of Stockton.
The consensual plan, if approved by the bankruptcy court, is expected to allow the Diocese to exit bankruptcy by the end of the year. The Diocese’s plan also will allow the Diocese to carry on its essential ministries and services so the Diocese can continue to meet the needs of the parishioners, and others who rely on the Diocese’s ministry, education, and charitable outreach.
To view the plan, or to see any of the documents filed in this case, visit www.kccllc.net/stocktondiocese
I was already aware of the announcement of the Stockton diocese Bk exit plan, announced 2 days ago.
Now perhaps in this exit plan, the diocese may want to save hundreds of thousands of $$ by closing the worthless “Office of Environmental Justice. ”
Perhaps funds can be diverted to the struggling 11 or so Catholic elementary schools left in the diocese for about 260,000 Catholics, and the 2 Catholic high schools. No new schools were opened during Blaire’s 17 year regime, and one, historic St Gertrude’s School, which served a predominately working-class Latino family population, had to be closed due to “lack of $”—but liberal-class eco-justice, which accomplished nothing, got funded.
Oh, how we liberal Catholics and their…
..bishops care for the “little people”, though!
Peoples: Campion’s words above ARE NOT AN EXAMPLE of a “free and thoughtful exchange of ideas.” That’s what he has claimed to be doing here with posts like these. NO! The above is an effort to cast aspersion, negativity, animosity, and denigration against the legitimate clergy of the Church. It’s patently obvious just by the tone of his words. Clearly a violation of Canon 1373.
Let Us Go Forward – Never Forgetting the Harm from the Homosex Ephebophle Infiltration of the Church and the Grave Injustice to the (mostly) Adolescent Boys who were Targeted by Predators in a manner most shameful.
Never Again – Means Constant Vigilance, and also Encourages Good Men to Safely re-engage with Good Works, without facing the stigma of suspicion that has driven so many to keep their distance, lest they be stained by association despite their own Good Work.
Safe Schools and Services are not just for the Young (mostly Adolescent Boys) but also those who would work with them – out from under the pall cast by the Ephebophile Nightmare.
Dear Bishops, Clean up the priesthood & seminaries. Send the SSA folks to pray in monasteries until God heals them. Send the pedophiles to Siberia. Do it so you can become good stewards of the church. This is so horrific, harmful & wasteful. Stop the shameful behaviors now. Are you not worried how this reflects on your eternity? This should be a top priority but is it? How long dear God must this cripple your church? It is so very wrong. Perhaps BANKRUPTCY is better then letting them off the hook? Praying.
[Disclaimer: I skip/do not read the hit-piece posts by the professional-class operatives of New Church, names which may rhyme with “yawn”, because they lack any facts, are irrational and unsubstantive, and only meant to disrupt discussion on this site.]
During his 17-year career as bishop, when vocations and priestly numbers sank to an all-time low in its 54 year history (Stockton has only 5 seminarians in all 7 years of theology training; they have only ordained 1 priest each if the last 3 years; they only have 65 active diocesan priests, many approaching retirement age, for 260,000 Catholics), Blair spent much of his time OK junkets to Washington DC, attacking political opponents and espousing many of his liberal-class projects…
..—you can read all the time and money he spent while attacking 2nd-amendment gun-rights, urging carbon-taxes and burdensome climate-laws, and insisting that Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget annual increase of +3% was a “cut”. He loved the national press corps limelight as “the social-justice bishop.”
Too bad for struggling working-class Catholics in Stockton, who had to pay all his Mastercard bills for those nice hotel stays and lovely dinners at trendy DC restaurants. (One has a rich breadth of experience in the social-justice scene, and the political-episcopal crowd lives fine, very fine. All for world hunger, you know.)
Now, at last, maybe Stockton will get a shepherd l,instead of a political operative, for a bishop.
A person who publicly incites his or her subjects to hatred or animosity against the Apostolic See or the Ordinary because of some act of ecclesiastical authority or ministry, or who provokes the subjects to disobedience against them, is to be punished by interdict or other just penalties. (Canon 1373).
Another boneheaded comment, “jon”: read Canon 212, especially Sections 2 and 3. B. Blaire and other bishops in CA simply double down as their pot grows smaller and smaller. When they abandoned the Faith, many faithful looked else where (except for the predatory homosexual priests that feasted on the innocent). Time to pay the piper. The Catholic Church in CA needs a cleansing fire of True Faith to be restored. Until then, it will continue to become bankrupt.
SChris, I have read Canon 212 many times, and every time I read it I am more convinced that you and the rest of the folks who usually comment here VIOLATE that Canon.
First, the Canon says you should show “christian obedience to what the sacred Pastors, who represent Christ, declare…and prescribe.” Well you folks by your disobedience and dissent on many issues touching on morals and faith VIOLATE this Canon.
Second the Canon says you should make known your needs to “the Pastors of the Church.” I’m sorry but trashing the pastors of the Church on this here blog VIOLATES this Canon.
Third, the Canon says you may make known to others your views but that you must “always respect the integrity of faith and morals, show…
due reverence to the Pastors and take into account both the common good and the dignity of individuals.” You don’t do all those—you don’t show respect, reverence, nor take into account the dignity of bishops and priests. I have read you comments sufficiently to say that you VIOLATE this Canon.
[Disclaimer: By now, you all now: I skip/do not read the hit-piece posts by the professional-class operatives of New Church, because they lack facts, are irrational and unsubstantive, and only meant to disrupt discussion on this site.]
Blaire’s exit from Stockton may give the diocese finally a shepherd who is not always absent at political power brokering events. But also, it is notable that liberal bishops like Blaire avoid their accountability for the division they foster.
Blaire’s ordination homily in May 2007 was an extraordinary example of hostility and bitterness against traditional leaning Catholics. But it is OK for liberal episco-crats to be nasty and mean:
https://stocktondiocese…
https://stocktondiocese.org/bishop/homilies/2007-homilies/may-2007/homily-for-ordination-to-the-priesthood-brandon-ware-and-david-dutra/
In the sermon, note the following amazing series of statements:
“There are some in the Church today who do not look forward in hope with the eyes of faith but tend to be preoccupied with looking back in some kind of nostalgia for a Church they never experienced prior to the Second Vatican Council.
I encourage you to study the history of the Church as a living and developing tradition and not to look back as Lot’s wife did or you might end up being a pillar of salt rather then the “salt of the earth.” ” “Bp.” Stephen Blaire. Homily at Stockton Cathedral, May 2007.
Gee, Bp. Blaire, sounds to me like a curse you wish to lay on those who dare to have an ideologically differing view of Church and tradition: Really, threatening one to be a “pillar of salt”?
What about bishops who decline the spiritual call of their vocation and instead “look back” like Lot’s wife, instead to earthly power, political causes and the praise of progressive socialists? Might you not risk becoming Bp. “Leslie” Blaire, hmm?
Or would you consider that unkind—but exempt a messenger of the secular-atheist gospel for his divisiveness? S’ok, I know the answer.
But wait, he was just warming up: it gets better:
“Those looking back want to give to the Church new forms of triumphalism, juridicism, and clericalism. The triumphalist wants to exercise authority through aggressive condemnation and excommunication and believes that the Church not only has the truth but also all the answers to every modern dilemma.” –Bp. Stephen Blaire, May 2007 ordination homily, Stockton Cathedral.
Of course, the Pre Vatican II people are hateful, of course.
Yet over and over, the “clericalists” who have always threatened excommunication and censure we see to be those “good New Church progressives”. Not the Promethean Neo Pelagians or the Hateful Triumphalists.
Yes, thank you, Bp…