A second U.S. diocese seeks bankruptcy protection.Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas said in a letter to parishes, "I want you to know that the diocese DIOCESE, eccl. law. The district over which a bishop exercises his spiritual functions. 1 B1. Com. 111. did everything it could to settle the pending abuse cases in a financially responsible manner.., as the steward of our diocese ... I could not have agreed to a settlement ... stripping the diocese of everything." "I also want you to know," he continued, "that ... we will continue to try to resolve these cases and any others that come forward." Bishop Kicanas figures that the diocese needs the "neutral forum" of the bankruptcy court bankruptcy court n. the specialized Federal court in which bankruptcy matters under the Federal Bankruptcy Act are conducted. There are several bankruptcy courts in each state, and each one's territory covers several counties. to provide "protection and fair adjudication The legal process of resolving a dispute. The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment or decree in a court proceeding; also the judgment or decision given. The entry of a decree by a court in respect to the parties in a case. " so that, not only can compensation be given to those who have been harmed, but the diocese can also carry on with its regular work in spreading the gospel. In a separate letter to abuse claimants, the bishop gave them his assurance that the court petition was not a way of avoiding his responsibility towards them. Tucson is the second U.S. diocese to file for bankruptcy bankruptcy, in law, settlement of the liabilities of a person or organization wholly or partially unable to meet financial obligations. The purposes are to distribute, through a court-appointed receiver, the bankrupt's assets equitably among creditors and, in most protection this year. On July 6, the Archdiocese arch·di·o·cese n. The district under an archbishop's jurisdiction. arch  di·oc of Portland, Oregon, filed under
Chapter 11 in the light of two upcoming abuse trials in which the
plaintiffs were claiming a total of $160 million in damages. Sixty
further claims are still pending. The archdiocese had already settled
previous claims using $21 million from its own funds. (Origins,
September 30, 2004)
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