Editorial from Kansas City Star:
A new report provides responsible ways for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to handle future child abuse allegations against priests.
Given his past failings on this issue, Bishop Robert Finn should not be part of that effort.
By stepping down, Finn would allow the diocese a fresh start at properly dealing with priests accused of abuse against the most vulnerable of the church’s flock, its children.
A large number of local Catholics have lost their faith in Finn’s leadership, and for good reasons. He’s not the right person to vigorously carry out the new policies and rules that must be put in place.
The report produced by the law office of former federal prosecutor Todd Graves provides evidence that Finn and the diocese did not follow its current child-abuse policies at crucial times in recent months. Much of the attention is focused on the case of Father Shawn Ratigan, who now faces child pornography charges.
The diocese bungled its investigation of Ratigan, the report says, adding that Finn “erred in trusting Father Ratigan to abide by restrictions the bishop had placed on his interaction with children.”
This recent failure by Finn occurred even after the bishop — just three years ago — helped work out a multimillion-dollar settlement with almost 50 people who said they had been sexually abused by priests in the diocese over a number of years. At the time Finn apologized for the “fully unacceptable behavior that prompted these lawsuits.”
Sound familiar? When similar charges arose this year, Finn said, “As bishop, I take full responsibility for these failures and sincerely apologize to you for them.”
The time for saying he’s sorry is over. It’s time for Finn to resign.
Read more: Kansas City Star
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