U.S. Bishop Is Charged With Failing to Report Abuse
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A bishop in the Roman Catholic Church has been indicted for failure to report suspected child abuse, the first time in the 25-year history of the church’s sex abuse scandals that the leader of an American diocese has been held criminally liable for the behavior of a priest he supervised. The indictment of the bishop, Robert W. Finn, and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph by a county grand jury was announced on Friday. Each was charged with one misdemeanor count involving a priest accused of taking pornographic photographs of girls as recently as this year. They pleaded not guilty. The case caused an uproar among Catholics in Kansas City this year when Bishop Finn acknowledged that he knew of the photographs last December but did not turn them over to the police until May. During that time, the priest, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, is said to have continued to attend church events with children, and took lewd photographs of another young girl.The Practical Buddhist Responds
Some will gloat with glee. Finally at least one bishop will pay for hiding criminals and exposing kids to the worst kind of danger.
Other will sigh. This bishop is a blip. The wagons will circle and the diocese will issue vague statements and most will believe the bishop was just a bumbler.
A few will weep. For the children, the bishop, the Catholics of KC.
Most will glance at the headline in today's Times, give it two seconds, and shift to more interesting stories.
The Practical Buddhist hopes someone will practice compassion. Not sympathy, but compassion.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A bishop in the Roman Catholic Church has been indicted for failure to report suspected child abuse, the first time in the 25-year history of the church’s sex abuse scandals that the leader of an American diocese has been held criminally liable for the behavior of a priest he supervised. The indictment of the bishop, Robert W. Finn, and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph by a county grand jury was announced on Friday. Each was charged with one misdemeanor count involving a priest accused of taking pornographic photographs of girls as recently as this year. They pleaded not guilty. The case caused an uproar among Catholics in Kansas City this year when Bishop Finn acknowledged that he knew of the photographs last December but did not turn them over to the police until May. During that time, the priest, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, is said to have continued to attend church events with children, and took lewd photographs of another young girl.Other will sigh. This bishop is a blip. The wagons will circle and the diocese will issue vague statements and most will believe the bishop was just a bumbler.
A few will weep. For the children, the bishop, the Catholics of KC.
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