The sudden bankruptcy of a Las Vegas-based travel agency nearly dashed the hopes of 50 Catholic youth from Alaska on their way to World Youth Day.
But the bishops of the Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau dioceses stepped in to lend the group money so the trip could go on.
The group had been planning and fundraising for a pilgrimage to Rio de Janiero for World Youth Day when it received word that ITC Tours was going out of business.
The Archdiocese of Anchorage told a local paper that as much as $181,000 in fundraising was lost because of the bankruptcy.
The Alaska Conference of Catholic Bishops had been doing business with ITC tours for 14 years, as did at least 15 other dioceses across the country. Many have had to cancel trips.
World Youth Day is held every three years, attracted young Catholics from around the world.
Burns said the decision to salvage the trip was made in part thanks to members of the community who stepped up to cover added costs incurred as a result of the bankruptcy filing.
The ACCB has made a claim against ITC Tours in bankruptcy court, but it could be years before any money is recovered.
