Bishop Finn should have done more to protect little girls

Nancy Kelly Waters
Special to the (Kansas City) Star
Oct. 24, 2011

My profession makes me a “mandatory reporter.” I cannot, by law, look away or ignore signs of child abuse or child endangerment. I must report any suspicions to the legal authorities. I may inform my superiors but that does not relieve me of my personal duty to report.

Being a mandatory reporter is stressful. Very rarely is it a clear-cut case of abuse. A student might mention something or you might see something or overhear something that sets off a cold alarm. There is no choice once that alarm sounds. The legal, ethical and moral decision of what to do has been made.

As an employee of a school district, I must think only of the child. I cannot think of my personal best interests or the reputation of the school district. I cannot consider any potential awkwardness or bad feelings my call might raise in the family, or in the wider school community. I cannot worry that if my report proves to be unwarranted, I might be somehow targeted or complained about. My duty is to protect the child.

I am a cradle Catholic raised in Kansas City and educated in local Catholic schools. My great grandparents were married in a Catholic church in Kansas City in 1869. Of the children in my father’s family, 75 percent were members of the clergy. I am not anti-Catholic.

I am, however, outraged that the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocesan statement — released as indictments were revealed last week against the diocese and Bishop Robert Finn — denies wrongdoing and promises a vigorous defense.

Bishop Finn, what exactly are you planning to vigorously defend? Do you believe you are blameless? I believe you made a moral mistake when you knowingly let a suspected pedophile remain at large with no legal investigation merely because he worked for the church.

Failing to immediately report what had been reported to you, and failing to direct those in your employ to report their suspicions, appears to me to be illegal and criminal. You may be cooperating with authorities now, but what about when the principal of one of your diocesan schools reported that a priest was behaving strangely towards little girls? The minute you heard of the principal’s five-page report outlining the numerous, serious concerns that teachers and parents had about the bizarre behaviors, you should have picked up the phone to call the police.

When you later heard the same man had any suspicious photos of little girls on his laptop, you should have thought only of what was best for the children in your flock, not the priest’s reputation or your reputation or even the Holy Roman Church’s reputation.

Bishop, you should have thought only of your obligation to the little girls.

Does the diocese really believe that setting up a new “array of steps to ensure accountability for the children” (The Star, Oct. 16) can possibly succeed if the man at the top won’t admit his mistake in failing to notify civil authorities?

Bishop Finn, in my opinion you should have reported. You didn’t. Pay your fine. Do your time. Admit your guilt. They say confession is good for the soul.

Nancy Kelly Waters teaches history and lives in Leawood



Read more: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/bishop-finn-should-have-reported-protect-little-girls/#ixzz1blRX7XIh