Updated December 4, 2013
Bishop Finn to become like Cardinal Bernard Law?
The Vatican Dictator Opus Dei protects its own
Vatican Princes members very well and therefore promoted Cardinal Bernard Law
to be the High Priest of St. Mary Major in Rome. Being a Bishop is the highest rank in Opus Dei - which is why there is
always an Opus Dei Bishop in Rome -- the only religious order to have a continuous Bishop in Rome! Nevertheless, Catholics in the USA and
worldwide should imitate Boston on how we got rid of that Red Devil slimy
bastard Cardinal Bernard Law – as we Bostonian proudly did oust him ‘out of
sight and out of our land forever’.
Both Bishop Finn and the
Vatican are using the same technicality to avoid facing justice. The
Vatican said today it is not complying to the UN's demand for its
investigative files on child sex abuse worldwide because they did not happen within the city of the Vatican - just as Bishop Finn
is saying the pedophile priest he covered-up did not do it within
church perimeter. Read our related article - Vatican rebuffs UN! Catholic Church not the moral
authority of the world. Vatican Titanic in depth of ocean of moral
bankruptcy http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-catholic-church-is-not-worlds-moral.html
Popes, Cardinals, Bishops and priests may be able to
clone instantly the flesh of God/Christ (they cannot clone cats and dogs) in
the holy magic of the Eucharist --- but they must not be allowed to be above the law and
secular justice, and they should not keep buying judges and politicians’ souls. Convicted criminal Opus Dei Bishop Robert Finn is trying to cling on
to power through “technicalities” as SNAP reports in MO - Victim
appeals “bizarre” ruling and Clergy sex abuse victims are harshly
criticizing Bishop Finn for his defense tactics in the litigation, see news
updates below.
Bishop Finn will and can buy the souls of judges and
politicians just like his fraternal brother did in Los Angeles - Opus Dei
Archbishop Gomez was able to buy the soul of Governor Jerry Brown who vetoed
bill SB131 (but he could not buy all the souls of the Legislative
Assembly and the Senate Floor who voted for the bill), read more here Ex-Jesuit
Gov.Jerry Brown vetoes SB131,invokes Roman law, perpetuates cover-up of 20th
Century JP2 Army who stabs the heart of Jesus’ mother http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/08/california-bill-sb-131-must-win-next.html
Bishop Finn can buy all the lawmakers souls
because he can afford it with the immeasurable wealth of the Vatican Mammon Beast
controlled by Opus Dei since the 27 years papacy of John Paul II, read our
related article here, Vatican
Billions: its history, sources, and assets
today worldwide. BOYCOTT the Vatican Museum and
boycott ALL donations to the Vatican Catholic Church Reign of Terror http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/03/vatican-billions-holy-mass-tourism-for.html ).
Bishop Finn
was ordained as the first Opus Dei Bishop in the USA in view of becoming the
first American Opus Dei Cardinal and eventually the first American Pope…so
SNAP and victims have a big battle against Goliath-OD and the only way to
disarm the Opus Dei power is to stop receiving Holy Communion from
Bishop Finn and all priests. Women especially have the powers to defeat Bishop Finn because they are
the bulwarks of church goers – women must
stop kneeling before Bishop Finn and stop kissing his ring and stop
adoring the HOAX of the Eucharist. Every time a woman kneels before
a Bishop or priest and receive communion, or go to see the Pope in the Vatican,
somewhere in the world a child and a poor woman suffers and is oppressed more
deeper in their lifetime of poverty, multiply that by 1.2 billion Catholics and
the vicious cycle of Vatican dominion
over poor countries is multiplied ad infinitum, read our related article,
Abolition of Vatican Concordat in Dominican Republic http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/10/abolish-vatican-concordat-in-dominican.html See explanation and images below why the
Eucharist is sorcery because Bishop Finn and all priests and popes, cardinals
and bishops have no power to clone cats and dogs and therefore they cannot
clone God/Christ either.
The Opus Dei
Plan
The Opus Dei Plan is to ordain Bishop Finn as a
Bishop and then make him an Opus Dei Cardinal in the USA and then potentially
be elected as the first “native Opus Dei” Pope.
It’s true that Pope John Paul II was the first Opus Dei Pope – as Opus
Dei controlled his every word and every move for 27 years and look at the OD
mess they left behind with the JP2 Army-John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army -
which the Jesuits are now left to clean-up and salvage the Vatican Titanic
sunken deep in the ocean of moral bankruptcy. Benedict XVI was the second Opus
Dei pope but he and JP2 were diocesan priests and were not “native” official
members of the fascist “saint” Josemaria Escriva’s Opus Dei Priestly Society of Holy Cross, read more here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/11/oratory-of-saint-joseph-pedophile.html
Pope Francis is The Last Pope as St. Malachy
predicted (see book below) and Our Lady of Fatima in her Third Secret of Fatima
also predicted in the total demise of the Vatican Temple like the Temple of
Solomon – that one pillar will be left standing. The hoax and sorcery of the Eucharist must
end because popes and priests have been using it as the crux of their cloning-of-Christ-sorcery power to
oppress people and steal billions of dollars from poor countries that are
already buried in debts, read how the Vatican does it through the Vatican
Concordats in 175 countries more here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/10/abolish-vatican-concordat-in-dominican.html
Read our related articles:
John Paul II the Holy Father of Lies! Cardinal Dziwisz
book: “JPII knew nothing” about bestial pedophile priest Fr. Maciel is Vatican
Titanic Deceits http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/11/john-paul-ii-holy-father-of-lies.html
Christ inspires and moves us to reveal the strategy of the
Vatican Titanic which can only be recognized by discerning eyes and not to
blind robotic eyes of “pray, pay, obey” stupid Catholics.
UGLY John Paul II at the end of his 27 years papacy -
God allowed him to become so ugly becuase he said nothing and did
nothing to protect children from thousands of pedophile priests hence
they are named after him as JP2 Army http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/11/john-paul-ii-holy-father-of-lies.html
BISHOP FINN enabler of JP2 Army pedophile priest Father Ratigan now in federal prison without parole
http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/11/oratory-of-saint-joseph-pedophile.html
Oratory of SaintJoseph pedophile priests! Montreal: Second class-action suit targets Congrégation de Ste-Croix! Saints and Holy Cross cannot protect children! http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/
TOILETS of First Nations
First Nations have no running water and no toilets at home -- what a SHAME for a G-8 country of Canada!
Outhouses near the band office of the Wasagamack First Nation in Manitoba. The outhouses are used year-round, even in the winter. More than 60 per cent of residents in the Cree community 600 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg lack indoor plumbing. (Karen Pauls/CBC) read more below
The Oratory of St. Joseph today is also a money-machine temple for the idolatry of St. Joseph who is impotent -- he said nothing and did nothing to save and protect hundreds of students raped by Holy Corss Congregaiton priests and cleric brothers for more than 50 years, read more below.
Temple of the Oratory of St. Joseph now in a second class-action lawsuit for its CSC pedophile priests!!!
And
now news has come out in Montreal’s newspapers that a second-class
action lawsuit has been filed against the CSC or Congregation de
Sainte-Croix for their pedophile priests among 6 CSC institutions in
Montreal! The CSC new
saint Brother Andre said nothing and did nothing to stop his
confreres who were satiating their bestial lust inside his Oratory of
St. Joseph.
Saint Brother André -- like the giant statues of St. Joseph -- he said nothing and did nothing to stop his CSC pedophile priests and brothers. His miracles were "questionable" and he is the golden cash cow of the arrogant CSC priests aristocrats at the Oratory who sit idly in wealth, especially those poor Haitians like Claudel Petit-Homme!
Claudel Petit-Homme CANNOT clone cats and dogs…therefore he cannot clone of the Son of God Jesus Christ !!!
CSC priest Claudel Petit-Homme is an arrogant
MAGICIAN, SORCERER claiming to be CLONING the flesh of God Jesus in the Eucharist HOAX --
worse than HARRY POTTER, at least Harry Potter does not recreate God
worse than HARRY POTTER, at least Harry Potter does not recreate God
CSC priest Claudel Petit-Homme is more proud than Lucifer and the Devil
Serpent in the Garden of Eden for claiming to have the power to
re-incarnate Christ…and then to EAT HIM!
If God did not want mankind to eat of
the Fruit of Tree of Good and Evil, God does not want mankind to be eating
Christ’s flesh either.
For three years he worked as executive assistant to the Apostolic Nuncio in Haiti. (This means he is made of the same cloth as the hypocrite Vatican Deceits Empire Pied Piper!)
In December of 2007, the Congregation of Holy Cross assigned him to work in the office of Pastoral Ministry at Saint Joseph's Oratory.
These photos illustrate the
Smoke of Satan in the Oratory of St. Joseph just like it is in the Vatican Titanic, read our related article .
The Catholic Church is not the world’s moral authority. The Vatican Titanic is sunken deep in the ocean of moral bankruptcy
Give your Catholic money to
Red Cross
Doctors without Borders
100 Huntley Street daily TV
Joel Osteen
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Life Today
Dr. David Jeremiah
Christ like oxygen is free, available and equal to all – reference Quebec Charter of Valueshttp://filipina-nannies-caregivers.blogspot.ca/2013/05/why-filipinos-support-quebec-charter-of.html
Jesus is greater than religion
Jesus > Religion
Crossroads Christian Communications
|
The RED DEVIL
the "slimy bastard" Cardinal Bernard Law, those thousands of little boys and little girls who had the grave misfortune of loving and revering this human piece of filth...I’m ashamed to be of the same faith as this evil, malicious creep." But
to prove that he is "the Great" John Paul II PAPAL FARTed at us
Bostonians and took Cardinal Law to Rome to be the High Priest of the
Mother of all Basilicas, that is why Cardinal Law is the Achilles Heel
of John Paul II
But no matter how the Vatican Titanic’s religious Vatican Pied Pipers lie and lie that John Paul II “knew nothing”, secular history does not lie and secular history - especially Google -- has recorded that John Paul II has two evil Achilles Heels, Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston and Fr. Marcial Maciel, and money cannot buy or erase this evil papal history and fact, read more http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011/05/heil-satanas-jp2-patron-saint-of.html
The Magic of the Eucharist and the chanting of the Rosary can be so intoxicating that Popes, Cardinals, Bishops and Priests are heartless and cold in the face of evil and their victims.Restore image of priests for obsolete doctrines,Vatican Concordats, narcissist “saint” John Paul II, Mass fake cloning of Christ religious spectacle? http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/10/restore-image-of-priests-for-obsolete.html
Updated March 21, 2013
Sign the petition to hasten the resignation of Bishop Finn, read news update below.
The petition currently has 111,030 signers.
www.BishopFinnPetition.com
Only in the Vatican Catholic Church (it's not Roman Catholic Church) are criminals glorified, read more here http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2010/03/john-paul-ii-miraculously-cures-his.html
Read our latest article
The Hague is above Pope, Vatican, Religion. The Hague must prosecute Benedict XVI now to prove secular International Justice reigns over ALL Religions and Despots
http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-hague-is-above-pope-vatican.htmlBillion Dollar Christ & Apostles in Red now playing in Vatican. Evil impact of Papal Conclave: epidemic violence against women & perpetuity of poor countries
http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/02/billion-dollar-christ-apostles-in-red.html
Updated October 13, 2012
Feast of Fatima Miracle of the Sun that predicted the total demise of Vatican and St. Peter's Square that "not one pillar will be left standing".
Below are more images of Bishop Finn the Wolf in Sheep clothing and articles analysing his deceitful tactics to cling on to his hollow authority as Bishop and Opus Dei Golden Cow of Kansas City, Missouri. See more images below our updated comments.
Bishop Finn said "Boys will be Boys" a compilation of news articles and analysis of this Opsu Dei guided remark.
Updated September 16, 2012
There was a Walk the Talk to make Bishop Finn resign today in Kansas City, see news updates below. We will see how they will succeed like us Bostonians who ousted Cardinal Bernard Law to leave Boston forever, out of sight and out of our land. The problem of course is how, the last Tsar of the Vatican, Benedict XVI will try to protect his live Achilles Heel Bishop Finn, just like John Paul II protected his Achilles Heel Cardinal Bernard Law.
Opus Dei Patron Saint of Pedophiles, Pederasts and Rapists : Prayer to Saint John Paul II = Opus Dei Pope #1.... Benedict XVI is Opus Dei Pope #2 http://jp2army.blogspot.ca/2011/04/john-paul-ii-saint-of-pedophiles-and.html
Updated September 9, 2012
Bishop Finn is now a proven criminal… but he refuses to resign. Bishop Finn violated both canon law and civil law in not reporting the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who was found to have hundreds of images of child pornography on his computer. For five months, Finn protected and covered up Fr. Ratigan who took photographs that included a girl’s naked vagina, upskirt images and images focused on the crotch…Five months is a long time and this proves that Finn had no morals and no compunction to those child victims of pornography, read news article below. What other law violation is Benedict XVI waiting for in order to fire his live Achilles Heel? read our related article
Bishop Finn is the live Achilles Heel of Benedict XVI…while Cardinal Bernard Law is the live Achilles Heel of John Paul II http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
In Hartford ,Connecticut, a priest was reprimanded for participating in a GAY marriage, while Bishop Finn was given a slap on the wrist for his heinous crime for shielding a pedophile priest, read news update article below, "A tale of two priests punished under canon law". This proves that Canon Law and John Paul II and Theology are heartless and cannot protect children yesterday and today, read our related article
Heil Satanas JP2 Patron Saint of Pedophiles, Pederasts Rapists-Priests! John Paul II is the same yesterday and today-- he cannot protect children
http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011/05/heil-satanas-jp2-patron-saint-of.htmlRead news updates below on uproars for Bishop Finn's resignation
Updated September 8, 2012, Birthday of Mary, the purest female creature to carry God in her blessed womb and give birth to Jesus…she is a total contrast to those Opus Dei Golden Cows Popes, Cardinals and Bishops and JP2 Army-John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army who are self-proclaimed wizards of reincarnating God in the FALSE flesh of Christ in the Eucharist, read more here http://stella0maris.blogspot.ca/ and here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/11/oc-diocese-buys-crystal-cathedral-as.html
Bishop Finn was found guilty by a layman judge which proves once again that the laity has more morals than the Vatican Titanic sinking in moral bankruptcy, read our related article http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/07/ncaa-penn-state-more-moral-than-vatican.html . Bishop Finn should have a millstone tied to his neck and thrown into the depths of the sea as Jesus decreed to those who caused a child to sin. Bishop Finn caused many children to sin by turning a blind eye as he covered-up convicted Fr. Shawn Ratigan who is now rotting in jail for life, read related articles below. Jesus condemned only 3 kinds of people, the Pharisees whom he called “white sepulchers” inspite that they “Pray, Pay, Obey” and followed the Moses' Leviticus Laws to the letter, the merchants at the Temple of Solomon (like Vatican Billions http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011_03_01_archive.html and Vatican Mammon http://pope-ratz.blogspot.ca/2010/07/vatican-exposed-money-murder-and-mafia.html) and those who caused a child to sin condemning them with a millstone to be hung on their neck (like the John Paul II Millstone http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/)
Bishop Finn was found guilty of endangering kids by refusing to report suspected child sex crimes to police. For the first time in US history, a diocese is headed by a proven criminal…just like the Catholic Church and the Legion of Christ are headed by two criminals, Benedict XVI and Fr. Marcial Maciel, read more here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/03/benedict-ratzinger-marcial-maciel-are-2.html and http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011/10/fr-marcial-maciel-was-protected-by-john.html.
Catholic League Goliath-bully Bill Donohue was quick to defend Opus Dei Golden Cow Bishop Finn but now there is an uproar for Bishop Finn to resign as a Bishop (just like Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston), see news updates below. We’ll see how Benedict XVI, as a clone of John Paul II, will elevate Bishop Finn like Cardinal Bernard Law was elevated to Rome.
The trial of Bishop Finn was hastened on a 24-hour notice and inspite of pleas from SNAP, read president David Clohessy’s letter to the judge and prosecutor to delay any sentencing of embattled Bishop Robert Finn, should he plead guilty or be found guilty of concealing child sex crimes, Bishop Finn escaped jail time which is a clever maneuver from the Devil’s cunning PR stunt at the Vatican (see yellow highlighted important news articles). Bishop Finn is a perfect clone of John Paul II, read our related article, Heil Satanas JP2 Patron Saint of Pedophiles, Pederasts Rapists-Priests! John Paul II is the same yesterday and today-- he cannot protect children http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011/05/heil-satanas-jp2-patron-saint-of.html
Systemic abuse within Franciscan religious order: A compilation. Most famous Franciscan Father Benedict Joseph Groeschel blames victims (young boys) for seducing pedophile Franciscan Friars http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/05/systemic-abuse-within-franciscan.html
Melinda Gates versus Benedict XVI: who’s more “like Christ”? Melinda Gates saves lives of 200 million women while Benedict XVI sits in out-of-touch-with-reality Vatican Throne http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/07/vatican-titanic-hit-by-melinda-gates.html
May 1 & September 11 anniversaries for SNAP and JP2 Army victims. SNAP ad in New York Times should be framed and permanently exhibited in all churches, schools and children venues: U.S. Catholic Bishops and Child Sex Crimes
http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/07/may-1-september-11-anniversaries-for.html
Hypocrite Benedict silenced Fr. Tony Flannery, Brian D'Arcy – A compilation… but he does not silence Cardinal Bernard Law and JP2 Army – John Paul II Pedophile Priests http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/hypocrite-benedict-silenced-outspoken.html
Hypocrite Benedict silenced Fr. Tony Flannery, Brian D'Arcy – A compilation… but he does not silence Cardinal Bernard Law and JP2 Army – John Paul II Pedophile Priests http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/hypocrite-benedict-silenced-outspoken.html
Updated August 18, 2012
Vatican henchman Bill Donohue has not said a word about Opus Dei Golden Cow Bishop Finn who covered-up pedophile priest Shawn Ratigan who pleaded guilty to 5 counts of child pornography each count punishable between 15 to 30 years in jail which could mean he will rot and die there. Goliath bully Donohue is conducting insane lengths to defend and save Bishop Finn's position as Bishop. As
Frank Cocozzelli recently wrote: Bishop Finn has many powerful friends on the Catholic Right. As a hard charging leader of what he has called "the church militant" and one of four American Opus Dei bishops, Finn is clearly one of their own. The fact that these activists want to save Finn's position as bishop at almost any cost, suggests that their goals for the Church as a bastion of religious and political authoritarianism takes precedence over everything else -- including the safety and well being of children.
Read news updates for August 18, 2012 below with emphases added on "Frank Cocozzelli on Father Ratigan's Guilty Plea and Dr. Donohue's Curious Silence"
Read our latest related articles:
Vatican attacks American nuns: A compilation.
Goliath-bully Bill Donohue attacks David & SNAP & JP2 Army victims: A compilation. Being Anti-Catholic is necessary for justice, protection of children, women, the poor http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/03/goliath-bully-bill-donohue-attacks.html
JUSTICE RENDERED by SECULAR WOMAN!
NCAA & Penn State more moral than Vatican
Melinda Gates versus Benedict XVI: who’s more “like Christ”? Melinda Gates saves lives of 200 million women while Benedict XVI sits in out-of-touch-with-reality Vatican Throne http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/07/vatican-titanic-hit-by-melinda-gates.html
Opus Dei Golden Cow John Paul II statues worldwide vis-a-vis Paterno statue gone from
So what will Opus Dei Goliath Bill Donohue say now months later after he carried out insane campaign hits all over Kansas City, Missouri, to defend Bishop Finn's criminal actions of covering up Rev. Shawn Ratigan, 46, who pleaded guilty today (instead of going into trial) for 5 out of 13 charges of child pornography that is punishable, for each count carries between 15 and 30 years in jail?
Now that an Opus Dei Golden Cow Monsignor William Lynn is going to a secular jail for covering up pedophile priests (not into a convent of nuns as chaplain) it is time that secular justice will also send another Opus Dei Golden Cow, a higher one, a Bishop - Finn for having covered-up guilty Rev. Shawn Ratigan, read news articles updates below. Imagine how Jesus Christ must feel within the evil hands of these "monsters dressed in clerical robes" victimizing the most vulnerable children.
Read our related article
Updated April 7, 2012, Holy Saturday
No wonder, Goliath-bully Bill Donohue went overdrive to campaign for Bishop Finn and he sent letters to every existing organisation because he knew the secular court of Kansas City, Missouri could not be influenced by the Opus Dei nor be bought the Vatican Billions. So finally, Bishop Finn will be the next Roman Catholic vicar who will stand trial (see news update below), while William Lynn is the first high ranking vicar in Philadelphia who is now in trial -- way to go for Holy Week as the Vatican Titanic Ship is sinking in moral bankruptcy, read our article of the Trial of William Lynn: A compilation. Philadelphia JP2 Army - John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/trial-of-willaim-lynn-compilation.html
Updated February 9, 2012
Video of Bishop Finn
Abuse victims and SNAP are being attacked by lawyers for KC Bishop Robert Finn and pedophile priests. We're fighting hard to protect the confidentiality of victims, witnesses, whistleblowers, police, prosecutors, journalists and others who come to us for help.
New abuse & cover up lawsuit is filed in KC
Parishioner attends meeting saying it did not go far enough for Bishop Finn
Details below at February 9, 2012 news update
=====
Updated January 8, 2012
Under the image of the Divine Mercy, the favorite of Blessed John Paul II (who refused to glorify the Jesuit's image of the Sacred Heart devotion) Catholics are gathering to pray for Bishop Finn,the Golden Cow of the Opus Dei, hoping to dissuade the secular courts and secular judges from prosecuting him. This latest move of fanatic Catholics - led by the insane campaigns of Catholic League's Pied Piper Bill Donohue - demonstrates how Catholics are complicit to the most heinous crimes against children in the 20th century when they defend the Popes - John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger, the Princes of the Church like Bernie Law and Roger Mahony, who openly covered-up thousands of pedophile priests - the JP2 Army - during the longest papacy of John Paul II. So now Catholics in their blind faith for priests and Bishops (who they believe can reincarnate Jesus - but they cannot reincarnate dead cats and dead dogs)are openly defending Opus Dei Bishop Finn who has neither compassion nor compunction for children who are helpless victims of pedophile priests. Read our related article: Bishop Finn is the live Achilles Heel of Benedict XVI…while Cardinal Bernard Law is the live Achilles Heel of John Paul II http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
John Paul II has an army of Catholics who are praying the rosary daily but he was callous and coldehearted towards the victims of his JP2 Army - John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army - these Catholics refuses to see that the Rosary could not defeat JP2 Army John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army in the 20th Century ... unlike the Battle of Lepanto in the 16th Century http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/10/rosary-could-not-defeat-jp2-army-john_06.html
And these Catholics will now pray the rosary again for Bishop Finn...
The Opus Dei Golden Cows of the 20th and 21st Century got to go and Catholics must stop being complicit to the crimes of Popes, Cardinals and Bishops - once and for all.
Images updates for October 13, 2012
Look at the magic of the Seven Sacraments all debunked.
Sacrament of Confession protects criminals and persecutes their victims http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/11/sacrament-of-confession-protects.html
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is Black Magic and Sorcery of the Flesh of Christ because the pope and priests cannot clone Dolly the sheep and therefore they cannot “clone Christ either”, read here and see images below.
The Sacrament of Baptism and Confirmation – did Christ baptise his Apostles? Did Christ require his disciples to be first confirmed? Did Christ require all those people he healed to be baptized by a priest? The fact is, Christ condemned all those High Priests in the Temple Vatican
And the Sacrament of the Holy Orders or priesthood is now proven a pedophile culture by the JP2 Army – John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army and it is now proven that priesthood is a gay culture, just look at Cardinal O’Brien’s immediate resignation and read The Homosexual Colonization of the Catholic Church http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/05/benedict-xvi-campaigns-against.html
. Here’s Benedict and his Gorgeous Georg private secretary according to Italian gays and the recent report a few days before Benedict XVI resigns about the “gay network” inside the Vatican and in the City of Rome as Vatican Officials frolic in wild parties with male prostitutes, read news updates below. Today,Vatican Catholic priests (not Roman Catholic) are like lepers – keep children away from them. Learn from history. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Learn from the JP2 Army – John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/07/ncaa-penn-state-more-moral-than-vatican.html .Priests have no business touching children anymore. Children are supposed to be hugged and loved by their parents and siblings, not by celibate men who have renounced all form of sex, and bodily contacts.
. Here’s Benedict and his Gorgeous Georg private secretary according to Italian gays and the recent report a few days before Benedict XVI resigns about the “gay network” inside the Vatican and in the City of Rome as Vatican Officials frolic in wild parties with male prostitutes, read news updates below. Today,
What else, the Sacrament of the Last rites? This is the luxury left for the Opus Dei because their priests cater only to Opus Dei members. How many priests these days spend time giving the last rites in hospitals? Look at the Oratory of St. Joseph where those arrogant and cruel priests boast and make Saint Brother Andre as their “poor” model but the reality is he is their golden cash-cow. Brother Andre may have visited the sick during his heydays, but the Congregation de Sainte-Croix priests today do not visit the sick at all – because they are like the Pope sitting like King Midas of an empire of millions of dollars of candles lit by brainwashed people who are blindly praying to the Zeus statue of impotent St. Joseph who watched 50 years of sodomy on hundreds of students right before his eyes, and like John Paul II, he did nothing to stop them, and those candles only make those arrogant CSC or Holy Cross priests of the Oratory of St. Joseph more rich, read here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/01/csc-holy-cross-congregation-delay-18.html
And the Sacrament of Marriage, many young people these days opt to avoid the expensive rite of church weddings.
The Vatican Titanic is sinking in moral bankruptcy and nothing can salvage it because the FALSE GOD of the Vatican
What morality can the Vatican
What morality has the Vatican for children after more than 100,000 children were abused systemically covered-up by the Vatican hierarchy.
What moral voice does the Vatican
Rosary could not defeat JP2 Army John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army in the 20th Century ... unlike the Battle of Lepanto in the 16th Century http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/
John Paul II is the Pope of Injustice because he did absolutely NOTHING during his longest papacy to bring some justice to pedophile victims of Fr. Marcial Maciel and the80 pedophile priests of Cardinal Bernard Law, his Achilles Heels, read more here http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/05/heil-satanas-jp2-patron-saint-of.html
Benedict XVI’s Consecration to Mary cannot protect children from pedophile priests http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/05/benedict-xvis-consecration-to-mary.html
Priests and nuns are not holier than us and not better than us
Priests and nuns are not holier-than-you and not better-than-you. Priests and nuns are not holier or better simply because they recite a formula of holy prayers and have (hypocritical) vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops especially who aided and abetted half a century of JP2 Army – John Paul II Pedophile Priests heinous crimes http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011_04_01_archive.html).
Priests and nuns are not holier or better than lay teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors, lab technicians, the police, firefighters, workers at McDonalds and restaurants, janitors, all professions and laborers.
No matter what good deeds the priests and nuns are doing, they are not holier-than nor better than -- the Red Cross workers and Doctors without Borders who are instantly everywhere in war zone or disaster areas regardless of race and creed – while those Popes, Cardinals and Bishops sit in the lap of luxury in the Vatican Palace and Bishops’ Palaces counting the Vatican Billions, and priests and nuns live in their comfy rectories and hushed million dollars convents, read here - The fantastic wealth of Irish Catholic religious orders revealed http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/07/fantastic-wealth-of-irish-catholic.html,
And Opus Dei million dollar houses of their priests and “numeraries” equivalent to nuns and religious brothers http://www.odan.org/foundations.htm
“Holiness” is not measured by the holy prayers a person recites because Christ condemned those Holy Priests Pharisees precisely because they recited the most holy prayers from the Bible and He called them white washed sepulchres, read here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/10/boston-to-host-former-swiss-guards.html
“It is acts of mercy” that I desire, God said in the Bible, and “not material or animal holocaust”. Christ got angry at those merchants selling those holy lambs for sacrifice in the Temple of Solomon
Read about the impotent Zeus statue of St. Joseph who overlooked 50 years of sodomy in College Notre Dame here, BOYCOTT Oratory of St.Joseph http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/01/boycott-oratory-of-saint-joseph-candles.html
The “Holy Father“ Pope and his copy-cat “holy fathers” Catholic priests cannot clone Dolly the sheep and therefore they cannot clone Christ either, read our related article, OC Diocese buys Crystal Cathedral as flesh-factory of Christ... for wealthy God-flesh-eating Catholics http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2011/11/oc-diocese-buys-crystal-cathedral-as.html
Well, the black magic holy words of a team of “holy priests” cannot clone Christ the Son God either, read about the Divine Trinity http://pope-ratz.blogspot.ca/2010/12/gay-trinity-of-father-son-and-holy
Please take a look at the worse Roman Catholic Church pedophile priests attacks against more than 15,500 Americans … compared to the September 11, 2001 attacks against 3,000 Americans at the Twin Towers in New York
Victims in USA - Attackers - Responsible Leaders
Pearl Harbor - 3,000 victims - 170 planes - Admiral Yamamoto
WTC & 9/11 attacks - 3,000 victims - 19 Muslims - Osama bin Laden
Priest pedophilia - 15,736 victims - 6,000 pedophile priests covered-up by Bishops, vicars, others...
Pearl Harbor - 3,000 victims - 170 planes - Admiral Yamamoto
WTC & 9/11 attacks - 3,000 victims - 19 Muslims - Osama bin Laden
Priest pedophilia - 15,736 victims - 6,000 pedophile priests covered-up by Bishops, vicars, others...
9/11 victims 3,000. JP2 Army 100,000s. May Day: both Hitler and bin Laden Announced Dead on May 1 on John Paul II Beatification Day B-Day http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2011/05/911-victims-5000-jp2-army-100000s-may.html.
Look deeply into this image of Our Lady of Guadalupe defending and protecting children from the Serpent ... compared to Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Cardinals, Bishops who coverd-up pedophile priests
http://jp2m.blogspot.ca/2008/07/letter-to-opus-dei-pope-john-paul-ii.html The names of the transferring or covering up Bishops and Cardinals are: Roll Call Please!
Pope
The Hague: Full text Criminal Charges against Dr. Joseph Ratzinger, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/05/full-text-of-criminal-charges-against.html
The black belt means she is pregnant
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The womb of the Immaculate Conception of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe carried Jesus this way
![[30.jpg]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DxeIokv0wYjRUZU6DvfDQWD7aQjJrp8LZXnK-gMlwObOfVsfTY4Huq49fFEMdUzd8cYFoUYi1GmkwOXxM3NtZc7OK12skj2f-Sqn07rxgPojGTZFghK3WXS0q-X8UXILcz6kXg53ww/s1600/30.jpg)
9-months gestation of Jesus the Son of God
READ more here about the pregnancy of Our Lady http://stella0maris.blogspot.ca/2010/01/magisterium-benedict-versus-holy-mary.html
DOLLY THE CLONED SHEEP
The cloning process that produced Dolly
http://www.youtube.com/embed/39BbcZVCx8I
BLACK MAGIC OF EUCHARIST
1-MINUTE black magic of the cloning of Christ by sinful Vatican pope and priests
http://www.youtube.com/embed/39BbcZVCx8I
BLACK MAGIC OF EUCHARIST
1-MINUTE black magic of the cloning of Christ by sinful Vatican pope and priests
Pope Francis, all Popes, Cardinals, Bishops and priests cannot clone cats and dogs and therefore they cannot clone Christ either.
Transubstantiation or the Mass is a recent development . St. Peter and St. Paul and the Apostles never celebrated Mass and never “transubstantiation” the bread into the flesh of Christ, what they did was to preach about Christ. The Mass was a slow development from the 12th century through various liturgical reforms until the 20th century. It was only in 1215 at the Fourth Council of the Lateran that the Mass began to take form and in 1551 at the Council of Trent that transubstantiation became what it is today. The Vatican has come to use it as its main crux of power on earth deceiving Catholics and peoples of all faiths that only Popes and men-priests have the exclusive power to transubstantiate God’s flesh.
Because of the Mass, the Vatican has gotten away with all kinds of heinous crimes, e.g. the Crusades, the Inquisition, the burning of women and witches http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2006/11/john-paul-ii-revived-inquisition.html “For the sake of the Eucharist” and because of the shortage of priests, John Paul II, Cardinal Ratzinger-Benedict XVI, the Opus Dei who controls the Vatican, the Cardinals and Bishops shuffled pedophile priests from one parish to another. The rest is history: the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army committed Holy ES Eucharist-and-Sodomy of Biblical proportions see the John Paul II Millstone http://jp2m.blogspot.com/.
In the name of Hail Mary, we dare challenge and defy the Magisterium: No words pronounced by any finite-man can create an infinite-God! No words of the Pope and priests can re-create or re-incarnate Christ’s flesh. The words of sinful popes and priests are powerless and can never create God! Only Mary the Immaculate Conception deserved to bear God in her womb. No evil pope and evil priests is worthy to touch and hold God in their evil hands. The words of popes and Cardinals, Bishops and priests are mere clashing-cymbals of St. Paul see John Paul II the Great clashing cymbal of St. Paul http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2009/11/john-paul-ii-great-clashing-cymbal-of.html. See Benedict XVI to beatify John Paul II is “brought to nothing” by St. Paul http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2009/11/benedict-xvi-to-beatify-john-paul-ii-is.html
No matter how we look at it, finite-man cannot create an infinite-God. Man can never create God’s flesh. Not in in-vitro fertilization of the scientific laboratories. Not in the sacred altars of holy Roman Catholic churches which by the way were the same pedophile altars of the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army See the John Paul II Millstone http://jp2m.blogspot.com/
Rome, call us heretics and we don’t care because in Boston and in America, we have freedom of speech. It was our freedom of speech that got rid of criminal-Cardinal Bernard Law and sent him packing out of our sight and out of our land. But only you, Rome, you the Roman Catholic Church a.k.a. Magisterium would glorify criminals like Cardinal Bernard Law and John Paul II. No other American state has been able to replicate our courage as Bostonians who got rid of the first Cardinal caught guilty of the John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army in America. Yes, we caught the first SS officer of the Third Reich of the Roman Catholic Church … but he went into glorious exile in Rome because only in the Catholic Church are criminals glorified See The John Paul II Millstone John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army expands into Ireland &John Paul is elevated as "Venerable"... only in the Catholic Church are criminals glorified http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2009/12/john-paul-ii-pedophile-priests-army.html
Benedict XVI, from the Chair of Peter, thinks his papal letter will heal the victims and solve the problem of clergy abuse in Ireland. The fact is, Benedict XVI’s words are powerless. NO POPE has ever healed anyone. As this picture shows,
\
They came sick and they left sick.
There is NO "Apostolic" authority or succession here,
for NO Pope has EVER been able to heal like Peter or Paul did.
Opus Dei Goliath-bully Bill want to propagate Catholic Medieval Doctrine that all crimes of JP2 Army of pedophile priests are already forgiven and forgotten under the Sacrament of Confession that protects criminals and persecutes their victims, read here http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/11/sacrament-of-confession-protects.html
===================================================
Prayer Rally Held for Bishop Accused of AbuseKANSAS CITY (MO)
Fox 4
9:59 am, January 8, 2012, by Christie Walton
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A group says it praying for the highest ranking, Catholic official Saturday. Bishop Robert Finn, of the Diocese of Kansas City – Saint Joseph, is accused of failing to report child abuse suspicions.
Justice for Bishop Finn group members gathered in prayer under a symbolic statue, at Divine Mercy Park to say to those who doubt the bishop, that his charges should be dropped.
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Supporters of Bishop Finn gather for prayer rally
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
By ROBERT A. CRONKLETON
The Kansas City Star
More than three dozen supporters of Bishop Robert Finn gathered for a prayer rally Saturday and held a news conference saying that the misdemeanor charge against him should be dismissed.
“This is not a cover-up and this is not a knowing endangerment of children,” said Michael Quinlan, a St. Louis attorney who spoke at the press conference held by the group Justice for Bishop Finn at Divine Mercy Park in the Northland.
Finn took the steps any reasonable person would have taken in the way he handled the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, Quinlan said. Ratigan faces child pornography charges in Clay County and federal court.
Finn has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to report child abuse suspicions in Jackson County involving Ratigan.
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Parishioners Seeking 'Justice For Bishop Finn'
KANSAS CITY (MO)
St. Joe Channel
[with video]
Reported by: Robert Lowrey
Saturday, January 07 2012
KANSAS CITY -- "I implore the government not to take away our shepherd from us," said Theresa Lynn, a member of Justice for Bishop Finn.
This is a common message from those in support of Bishop Robert Finn.
The rally is part of Justice for Bishop Finn's goal of trying to prove Bishop Robert Finn's innocence. The organization is speaking out to government officials.
Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese is the highest ranking Catholic official to be held accountable for alleged misconduct.
He is charged with failing to report child abuse in Jackson County after Father Shawn Ratigan was arrested on charges of child pornography. Finn also worked out a deal with prosecutors in Clay County to avoid an indictment.
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Updated December 10, 2011 The Star’s editorial | A victim’s courageous stand
Updated December 5, 2011 Photos of Bishop Finn and Fr. Shawn Ratigan and Special report: Who knew what in Kansas City child porn case (see news below)
December 2, 2011. Catholic League fanatic Bill Donohue is desperately campaigning for his Opus Dei Bishop-Golden Cow Bishop Finn by sending out an ad to every citizen (including bars and local businesses) in Kansas City, Missouri - the ad on Bishop Finn which the Kansas City Star refused to publish for $25,000. Kudos to The Kansas City Star who puts value on the safety and justice for children more than Bishop Finn’s rotten reputation and Catholic hypocrisy, read our related article, Bishop Finn is the Achilles Heel http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
Kudos to The Kansas City Star who refuses to sell its soul to the Devil and refuses to sell Christ for 33 pieces of silver of Judas Iscariot…meaning it refuses to compromise its moral values and children for $25,000 money of Catholic League and Bill Donohue, read Opus Dei's USA mouthpiece Bill Donohue is paid $400,000 to belittle the New York Times and anyone against Opus Dei World Domination Agenda http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2011/04/opus-deis-usa-mouthpiece-bill-donohue.html
Kudos to The Kansas City Star who refuses to sell its soul to the wealthiest Vatican Bank and sell out American children to the Vatican Media Mafia and Vatican Pied Pipers and their deceptions, read the list of Catholic Pied Pipers in our related article, Benedict XVI Master Manipulator of the Media…the Pied Piper of Children deceiving them away from truth of his Crimes Against Humanity at The Hague http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/11/benedict-xvi-master-manipulator-of.html
Three cheers to you Kansas City Star and may you be blessed with prosperity for your brave act for facing up against the Goliath Bully - Bill Donohue and the dirty money of the Vatican Evil Empire, read Read the Vatican Billions and their sources: Holy Mass Tourism for Each Generation. Miracles, Portents and Wonder for Sale http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/03/vatican-billions-holy-mass-tourism-for.html.
Christ versus Benedict XVI
What would Jesus do? There are WWJD braclets everywhere. The Pope and Catholic priests always preach, “Follow Jesus and always ask yourself, ‘What would Jesus do’”… but we have all the answers to that; simply “pray, pay and obey” us...because the Pope is the representative of Jesus on earth.
But apparently and obviously, Benedict XVI is doing everything contrary to what Jesus did. Just look at him and you will not see Jesus at all in his papal masquarades: Did Jesus wear red shoes and white robes and expensive cermonial papal robes and golden mitres that can feed 10 African Villages for years? Did Jesus speak in Latin and in long complicated doctrines? Did Jesus require his followers to go to theological universites in order to understand his simple parables and what he was preaching for their salvation? Did Jesus live in a palace like the Vatican that rivals Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Versailles? Read our related article Benedict XVI and Jon Sobrino http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2007/08/benedict-xvi-vicar-of-christ-and-jon.html
If Benedict XVI is truly the representative of Christ on earth, he should be the first one to obey and do what Christ said, "And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It's better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell." Benedict XVI should fire Bishop Finn and banish him from the face of the Catholic Church.
And as the most powerful pope, Benedict XVI should also cut off and fire Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, the evil Achilles Heel of fast-track saint John Paul II, read Rome glorifies Bernard Law 80th birthday bash...only the Vatican can make the Devil’s Bowels smell like roses http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/11/rome-glorifies-bernard-law-80th.html
Bill Donohue's deperate campaigns for Bishop Finn
There are two segments of this article. The first part is about the insane desperate campaign by Bill Donohue, the $400,000-a-year CEO of Catholic League, who is sending out an ad about Bishop Finn to every citizen in Kansas City, Missouri including bars and local businesses - the ad which the Kansas City Star refused to publish for $25,000. The second part is about Bishop Finn who struck a deal with the secular court to avoid facing further charges in his cover-up of one of his dearly beloved pedophile priests, Fr. Ratigan, who possessed hundreds of porn photos of children in his diocesan laptop. When Bishop Finn saw those hundreds of pornographic images of children, he did not do or say anything to Fr. Ratigan...and he never cared or did anything to protect those children from pedophile priests.
The Catholic League in the USA is an arm of the Vatican Media Mafia and they have all the money to squander to perpetaute lies about Bishops who cover-up pedophile priests. When Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston, Pope John Paul II elevated him as High Priest in Rome to the St. Mary Major Basilica, 'the mother of all basilicas in Rome'. Bishop Finn was his "personal" advisor or chaplain at that time. Bishop Finn`s callous heart and numb conscience is rooted in the Vatican as he said Mass daily with John Paul II in his unrepentant last years on earth, read Bishop Finn's Opus Dei formative years at the Vatican in - Bishop Finn is the live Achilles Heel of Benedict XVI…while Cardinal Bernard Law is the live Achilles Heel of John Paul II http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
Catholic League is one of the ultimate traitors of the hundreds of thousands of children sexually abused by the Priestly Sodomy of Biblical Proportions committed by the JP2 Army a.k.a. B16 Army, read our related article Heil Satanas JP2 Patron Saint of Pedophiles, Pederasts Rapists-Priests! John Paul II is the same yesterday and today-- he cannot protect children http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/05/heil-satanas-jp2-patron-saint-of.html
Bishop Finn aided Satanas JP2
Handout photo of Bishop Finn November 30, 2011
Opus Dei Bishop Finn and Opus Dei Cardinal Bernard Law
Opus Dei Bishop Finn is following the footsteps of Opus Dei Cardinal Bernard Law. Law who also was never prosecuted because he simply “confessed” in public that he aided and abetted 80 pedophile priests and transferred them from one parish to another and got away with it. Cardinal Law was forced to resign as Archbishop of Boston and but then was elevated as High Priest of St. Mary Major in Rome. And by whose advice? Bishop Finn who was the direct advisor of John Paul II. So the chicken has come home to roost. That is why Bishop Finn is the evil Achilles Heel of Benedict XVI http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
"Civilization will not attain to its perfection until the last stone from the last church falls on the last priest".
Ěmile E. C. A Zola, 1840-1902, French novelist (Les Trois Villes; Rome, 1896)
It is time the United Nations end the theocracy country of the Vatican so that other theocracy countries can also follow suit.
November 22, 2011
The Vatican's own Nazis Regime against children
The German Nazis and the JP2 Army a.k.a. B16 Army - Benedict XVI Pedophile Priests Army are an inherently all-male hierarchy born out of the Devil’s Bowels that smell like roses in the Vatican and in the Roman Catholic Church worldwide.
John Paul II and Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden are forever linked together in history - on May 1, read our related article 9/11 victims 3,000. JP2 Army 100,000s. May Day: both Hitler and bin Laden Announced Dead on May 1 on John Paul II Beatification Day B-Day http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/05/911-victims-5000-jp2-army-100000s-may.html
Under the longest papacy of 27 years of John Paul II in the latter half of the 20th century, the most heinous crimes against Catholic children were committed, the Priestly Sodomy of Biblical Proportions committed by the JP2 Army - John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army also known as B16 Army - Benedict XVI Pedophile Priests Army, named aptly after the 2 men who ruled the Vatican with their iron fists...and immoral consciences and callous hearts towards chidlren. Hence these two popes oversaw the Nazi version in the Roman Catholic Church.
John Paul II is the Hitler http://jp2m.blogspot.com/
Benedict XVI as Cardinal Ratzinger is the General of the Third Reich of the JP2 Army a.k.a.B16 Army http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/
Cardinals and Bishops are the Vatican Nazis who aided and abetted pedophile priests with Cardinal Bernard Law as their poster boy http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/05/911-victims-5000-jp2-army-100000s-may.html
Vatican Pied Pipers: John L. Allen Jr., George Weigel, Bill Donohue
Vatican Media Mafia: Catholic League, EWTN, Catholic News Agency, Zenit
To learn more and read the lists of the Vatican Pied Pipers and Vatican Media Mafia members, read our article Benedict XVI Master Manipulator of the Media…the Pied Piper of Children deceiving them away from truth of his Crimes Against Humanity at The Hague http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/11/benedict-xvi-master-manipulator-of.html
Opus Dei Bishop Finn is the Vatican Nazi of the JP2 Army a.k.a. B16 Army
Opus Dei Bishop Finn is one of the foremost Vatican Nazis of the JP2 Army a.k.a. B16 Army and he is now cooking-up Devil’s Bowels making them smell like roses in Kansas City, Missouri by using his fancy holy words. By striking a brilliant deal with the law and avoiding further prosecution, Opus Dei Bishop Finn is like the Nazis who left Germany unscathed and then went on to hide their true identity and live a new life in North or South America.
This Vatican Nazi past of Bishop Finn explains the root cause as to why he covered-up one of his pedophile priests, Fr. Ratigan, and why as an Opus Dei Bishop he never had (nor has) any compunction or compassion to the hundreds of children whose sexually naked photos he personally saw in the computer of his dearly beloved priest Fr. Ratigan, read our related article Bishop Finn is the live Achilles Heel of Benedict XVI…while Cardinal Bernard Law is the live Achilles Heel of John Paul II http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/bishop-finn-is-live-achilles-heel-of.html
Opus Dei Bishop Finn did not flinch in the sight of pedophile photos of children because he is simply obeying Opus Dei rules regarding pedophilia - that it’s only a small statistics, read Opus Dei’s standpoint on priest pedophilia in our related articles below and Why John Paul II is Opus Dei's Patron Saint: analysis of conference at Holy Cross Pontifical University in Rome http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-john-paul-ii-is-opus-deis-patron.html
Opus Dei Bishop Finn is living la Vida Loca as described by Vatican Pied Piper John L. Allen Jr. in his Newsweek Magazine article Fast-Track Saint about John Paul II.
John L. Allen Jr.’s most deceptive paragraph... This paragraph is strategically placed past midway after he builds his essay, the 9th of 13 paragraphs, and it is the heart his article: Those inclined to give John Paul the benefit of the doubt argue that the church has been on a learning curve and it’s unfair to judge him by today’s standards. Further, they say, by the time the American scandals erupted and Maciel’s guilt became clear, the late pope was already well into his twilight. His primary contribution to combating the scourge of clerical abuse, they argue, was inspiring a new generation of dedicated and holy priests, men who take their duty of standing “in the person of Christ” seriously, and who are therefore less likely to dishonor their vows. read our entire analysis here http://jp2army.blogspot.com/
It means that because of the inspiration of the new “saint” John Paul II, current and future priests will no longer commit pedophilia. Likewise, Bishop Finn covered-up Fr. Ratigan…but will no longer do it again in the future and agrees to a monthly visitation by the secular court, read news below.
Opus Dei Bishop Finn getting away with the Law like the Nazis is the Catholic brand of getting away with the law, that is why the Sacrament of Confession is a tool of Injustice - we explain it here http://jp2army.blogspot.com/2010/03/forgiveness-is-gizmo-of-injustice-to.html.
Read also our related articles on what differentiates the secular justice system versus the Sacrament of Confession , Sins and crimes are not synonymous. Sinners and criminals are not one and the same http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/05/sins-and-crimes-are-not-synonymous.html
Opus Dei Bishop Finn’s hidden Vatican Nazi identity is that in 2002, he became an Opus Dei member and first-hand advisor to John Paul II during the height of priest pedophilia eruption in Boston as Opus Dei Cardinal Bernard Law (also) avoided prosecution together with the confirmed 80 pedophile priests whom he publicly confessed to aiding and abetting and transferring from one parish to another. This special period of Bishop Finn’s life as personal advisor to John Paul II explains why John Paul II said and did nothing to stop priest pedophilia in his last trip to his last World Youth Day in Toronto, only an hour’s flight to Boston, inspite of Paris Arrow’s vision of the giant millstone tied to the neck of John Paul II during that WYD. Bishop Finn made sure that John Paul II -- until his death in 2005 - would have no moral support for children sexually battered by his JP2 Army a.k.a. B16 Army he had, read the vision here The 9/11 Decade and the JP2 Millstone 9th anniversary of Paris Arrow's vision of the death of John Paul II at the World Youth Day http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/09/911-decade-and-jp2-millstones-9th.html
Read our related articles
Opus Dei founder Josemaria Escriva stage-managed impostor Sr. Lucia & Fatima Third Message . Lucia was listed as deceased in 1948… http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/11/escriva-stage-managed-impostor-sr-lucia.html
Boston to host former Swiss Guard’s seminar -based on the new “Vatican Trinity”.. Swiss Guards are the financial Navy Seals of the Vatican Bank http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/boston-to-host-former-swiss-guards.html
Benedict used Hitler as mask in German Parliament. Nazis and Vatican are a “band of robbers” http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/benedict-xvi-uses-hitler-to-divert.html
On the Lot: MR. John Paul II and MRS. Josemaria OD http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2007/06/on-lot-mr-john-paul-ii-and-mrs_09.html
The Hague: Full text Criminal Charges against Dr. Joseph Ratzinger, Pope of the Roman Catholic Church http:///
Victims in USA - Attackers - Responsible Leaders
Pearl Harbor - 3,000 victims - 170 planes - Admiral Yamamoto
WTC & 9/11 attacks - 3,000 victims - 19 Muslims - Osama bin Laden
JP2 Army - 15,736 victims - 6,000 pedophile priests - John Paul II & Benedict XVI & Opus Dei, the new Vatican Trinity
JP2 Army victims around the world http://jp2army.blogspot.com/
Amnesty International Report Vatican “Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment” on tens of thousands of children sexually abused by priests in Ireland http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/amnesty-international-report-vatican.html
The 4 cornerstones of the Vatican: Narcissism, dysfunction, disconnection, elitism http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/nazi-gold-and-vatican-how-rome-saved.html
Ireland condemns Vatican secrecy on Cloyne Diocese pedophile priests. Ireland vis-à-vis USA: the way they deal with crimes by the Vatican http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/07/ireland-government-condemns-vatican.html
Opus Dei controlled the 27 years papacy of John Paul II and is therefore the foremost guilty party who aided and abetted and covered-up the John Paul II Pedophiles Rapists-Priests Army. Opus Dei wrote most of John Paul II’s books and writings and to ensure their perpetuity as “All things Catholic”, they want JP2 to be beatified and canonized now by Benedict XVI so as not to take any chances on other future popes. The FACE of Opus Dei is John Paul II and the PHANTOM Spirit of Opus Dei is their founder St. Josemaria Escriva, read our related article John Paul II, Patron of Pederasts and Opus Dei – analysis of Joaquin Navarro-Valls’ reasons for JP2 beatification at Opus Dei conference in Rome http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/04/john-paul-ii-patron-of-pederasts-and.html
The 15,736 victims is from the recent report of the US Catholic Bishops Conference harmed by almost 6,000 pedophile priests. Note that the victims of the JP2 Army are 5 times those of Osama bin Laden's 9-11, read more here http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/05/911-victims-5000-jp2-army-100000s-may.html
Read our related article The Nazis of Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church of Benedict XVI are similar: They both burn human beings in Auschwitz and in Hell http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2011/02/nazis-of-hitler-and-roman-catholic.html
Bill Donohue-Catholic League ad in New York Times is a brilliant strategy before the beatification of John Paul II http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/04/bill-donohue-catholic-league-ad-in-new.html
Opus Dei's USA mouthpiece Bill Donohue is paid $400,000 to belittle the New York Times and anyone against Opus Dei World Domination Agenda http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2011/04/opus-deis-usa-mouthpiece-bill-donohue.html
Other well-paid Vatican Pied Pipers like George Weigel and John L. Allen Jr.
George Weigel bashes Maureen Dowd and Bishop Spong. Benedict's edict on GAYS are worse than anti-Catholic bigotry http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/07/george-weigel-bashes-maureen-dowd-and.html
Rupert Murdoch a supporter of paedophilia within our churches? He donated $10 Million for New LA Cathedral, buys Beliefnet religion site http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/07/rupert-murdoch-supporter-of-paedophilia.html
John Allen promotes monarchy of Catholicism. As Vatican Pied Piper he announces ‘Meet the new Crown Prince of Catholicism’ http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/07/john-allen-promotes-monarchy-of.html
John L.Allen Jr.Pied Piper of John Paul II deceives Catholics with his essay Fast-Track Saint in Newsweek -- with Vatican lunacy & Satanic timeline http://jp2army.blogspot.com/
John L. Allen Jr showers Cardinal Castrillon’s sex abuse cover up with roses that make the Devil's bowels smell good on Ratzinger Benedict XVI and JP2 http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/01/john-l-allen-jr-showers-cardinal.html
John L. Allen Jr supports Fr. Marcial Maciel and the Legion of Christ through his headline: 'True believers' on Maciel still kicking http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/02/john-l-allen-jr-supports-fr-marcial.html
Pied Piper John Allen defends Vatican mythology http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/09/pied-piper-john-allen-defends-vatican.html
Benedict used Hitler as mask in German Parliament. Nazis and Vatican are a “band of robbers” http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/09/benedict-xvi-uses-hitler-to-divert.html
It is time others start exposing the evil tricks and pathological lies of Bill Donohue and his hypocritical Catholic League. Here is one.
BILL DONOHUE AND THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE - EXPOSED
UNITED STATES
Anti-Catholic League
by David Fortwengler
Bill Donohue is president of the Catholic League. He claims the purpose of his organization is to “safeguard both the religious freedom rights and the free speech rights of Catholics whenever they are threatened.”
This report exposes the real motives of those involved with the Catholic League. They are an agenda-driven professional victims group that uses malicious and irrational assaults to smear anyone they feel is not speaking for the best interests of the Catholic Church. Period.
Over the past decade Donohue has repeatedly used his high-decibel speaking voice to dismiss truths about the church sex abuse scandal by denying and misrepresenting the facts, disrespecting the law, ignoring the message, and by calling the messengers Anti-Catholic.
The Catholic League creates their own version of events to minimize decades of gross institutional negligence and thousands of sexual assaults against children as simply the result of bias and prejudice against the Church. Donohue has gone so far as to call for a “Catholic revolt” against “the selective pursuit of priests, and the wholesale denial of their due process rights.” Never mind that there is no selective pursuit of catholic priests or denial of their due process rights, to justify his $400,000 a year salary it is a revolt Donohue is all to willing to lead.
Perhaps no single statement of Donohue’s exemplifies his ten years of pompous mendacity regarding the catholic scandal as the one issued today. Here it is in it’s entirety.
BISHOP FINN DESERVES BETTER
Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the controversy over Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert Finn:
The Catholic League will have a lot to say about Bishop Finn and his accusers over the next few weeks. For now, we want to make it clear that we stand by him without reservation. Why? Not because he is a bishop, but because nothing he did deserves the kind of mad reaction against him that is emanating from many quarters. In a short time, we will lay out the details of our support for him. But for now, keep in mind the following:
Many strange photos (crotch-focused) of young girls, fully clothed, were found on the laptop of a priest last December; one showed a girl naked. Though Bishop Finn never saw it, he was told of it. The result? The picture was described to a police officer the next day, and an attorney for the Diocese was shown the photo. It was determined that the photo, while disturbing, did not constitute child pornography. The priest learns that they’re on to him; he attempts suicide; he almost dies; he recovers; he is sent for treatment; he is not considered to be a pedophile, but is said to be suffering from depression; he is then placed in a spot away from children; he is subjected to restrictions. After violating the restrictions, the cops are called; more damaging photos are then found.
This account is quite different from what is being bandied about in the media. To take one example, there is an editorial in today’s New York Times saying that Bishop Finn “knew of the photos last December but did not turn them over to the police until May.” This makes it sound as if Finn knew about hundreds of photos of child pornography and he did nothing about it. In fact, there was one photo, that was not sexual in nature, that was found. Moreover, a police officer and an attorney were notified immediately. Later, after the priest proved to be recalcitrant, the police were contacted.
As I said, we will have a lot more to say about this issue. Stay tuned.”
My Response-The Facts
The “mad reaction” against Finn is a criminal indictment for failing to report suspected child abuse, something Finn is required to do under law, and what he has repeatedly promised he would do. Donohue’s support for Finn, without reservation, is based on his convoluted interpretation of the facts. Donohue claims Finn, after consultation with the diocesan attorney and a police officer was told Ratigan’s portfolio did not constitute child pornography. The fact is that the police officer was not consulted in an official police capacity and was not shown or told about everything that was known by the diocese. He was informally consulted as a lay member of the diocese review board. We do not know what the attorney was told.
The fact is that Ratigan’s computer contained an image of a young minor child’s naked vagina taken by Ratigan! We do not know what testimony and evidence was presented to the grand jury which indicted Finn and the diocese, but how could a reasonable person not consider that photo suspicion of child abuse? The technician that discovered the photos on Ratigan’s computer was sufficiently concerned to turn them over to the diocese, and Finn himself was suspicious enough he felt the need to get two other opinions. To me, that in and of itself, shows Finn broke the law by failing to notify authorities and turning over the evidence in his possession.
As evidence of a “mad reaction” against Finn, Donohue complains a NY Times article stated, “Finn knew of the photos last December but did not turn them over to the police until May.” Donohue says this makes it sound as if Finn knew about hundreds of photos of child pornography and he did nothing about it. Well, in December Finn did know about Ratigan’s computer portfolio and did not turn them over to police until May. There is nothing else to inferred in that statement.
Our system of justice insures that Finn is innocent is until proven guilty and none of his civil rights are being denied. He will have the best legal representation the parishioners of Kansas City can afford. Bishop Finn deserves no better than that.
I will have a lot more to say about this issue. Stay tuned.
Our Comment to Anti-Catholic League
The 2 strategies of the MSM mainstream media on the new movement Occupy Wall Street are to either ridicule or to ignore it. Here Bill Donohue uses the strategy to ridicule any bitter truth being exposed about the Catholic Church and its pedophile priests, read our related article Occupy The Vatican... like Occupy Wall Street http://popecrimes.blogspot.com/2011/10/ows-otv-occupy-wall-street-occupy.html
http://anticatholicleague.typepad.com/anticatholic_league/2011/10/bill-donohue-and-the-catholic-league-exposed.html
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Victims pan plea deal with Kansas City bishop
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Peter Isely on November 15, 2011
Initially, Finn was the first bishop to face criminal charges for concealing suspected abuse. Then, he was the first bishop to undergo questioning by two grand juries. Now, he's become the first bishop to face criminal charges in two jurisdictions. And, he's now the first bishop to be charged with two separate child-safety related crimes: refusing to report suspected abuse in Jackson County and endangering the welfare of a child in Clay County.
Given this, it's tempting, but reckless, to believe that Finn's the real problem here. He isn't. He's just the public face of a much more widespread, deep seated and intractable problem. And because the problem is far broader and deeper than any one man, the solution must be broader and deeper too.
That's one reason we're disappointed in this announcement today - it implies that Finn is the main, or only, wrongdoer here. But several top church staff - Msgr. Robert Murphy, Rebecca Summers (diocesan public relations staffer), Jon Haden (diocesan lawyer), Julie Creech (Diocesan Director of Information Management Systems) and who knows how many others knew of Ratigan’s very troubling behavior around kids and those very disturbing naked and inappropriate photos of young girls’ private areas. Yet none of them had the decency or courage to call 911. And none of them are being held responsible.
So the problem in KC is a pervasive and on-going cultural and structural problem of secrecy and self-preservation being valued over openness and kids’ safety. It’s not one ‘bad apple.’ It’s a dangerous, corrupt barrel. That was the case and remains the case.
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Slap on the hand for Bishop Finn
Posted by Yael T. Abouhalkah
0pc on November 16, 2011
Robert Finn has been a bad bishop, Clay County authorities said Tuesday, and apparently Finn agrees. Unfortunately, the county isn’t willing to go the extra mile to actually punish Finn for being a bad bishop.
As The Star reported today, Finn won’t be charged with anything in Clay County related to how he handled child pornography issue involving one of his priests.
Instead, Finn will enter a diversion program with the Clay County prosecutor. That’s a fancy way of saying the county’s going to let Finn off the hook.
Jackson County authorities did not handle Finn with kid gloves. Instead, they charged him with a crime, making him the highest Catholic official involved in such a mess.
Part of the diversion agreement almost sounds like a joke. As a colleague noted, it essentially will require Finn, the bishop, to confess to Clay County Prosecutor Daniel White to stay in line with what the program requires.
From The Star:
“Finn’s agreement with Clay County requires him to meet face-to-face each month with White for the next five years to discuss any allegations of child sex abuse levied against clergy or diocesan staff within the diocese’s Clay County facilities. Finn also is to describe what steps the diocese has taken to address the allegations. White would then decide whether to encourage police to investigate any allegations.”
On Tuesday, Finn issued the predictable pablum about making this move to protect the children, when it’s all about protecting his power, his authority and his job.
“The children of our community must be our first priority,” Finn said. “Each deserves no more and no less.”
White could and should have been tougher on Finn who is, after all, the top authority in the diocese, the one held ultimately responsible for protecting the children.
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/slap-hand-bishop-finn/#ixzz1dsRBBtYk
Kansas City Bishop Makes Deal to Avoid More Criminal Charges
MISSOURI
Ocala.com
A. G. SULZBERGER and LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: Tuesday, November 15, 2011
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a deal to avoid a second round of criminal charges, a Roman Catholic bishop in Kansas City has agreed to meet monthly with a county prosecutor to detail every suspicious episode involving abuse of a child in his diocese for the next five years.
Bishop Robert W. Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph was indicted in October by a grand jury in neighboring Jackson County for failure to report suspected child abuse by a priest he supervised. He is the first American bishop to face indictment on charges of mishandling an abuse case.
The agreement announced on Tuesday between Bishop Finn and the prosecuting attorney of Clay County, Daniel White, leaves the bishop open to prosecution for misdemeanor charges for five years, if he does not continue to meet with the prosecutor and report all episodes.
Both cases relate to the bishop’s supervision of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who has been accused of taking pornographic photographs of young girls in local parishes and homes. The bishop learned of the pornographic photos last December after a technician fixing the priest’s computer expressed serious alarm, but the diocese did not turn them over to police until May. During that period more photographs of children were taken.
Statement of Bishop Robert Finn
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
On November 15, 2011, I entered into a Compliance Agreement with Daniel Lee White, Prosecuting Attorney for Clay County Missouri. This agreement provides a structure for us to maintain an open dialogue about any and all issues of abuse of minors within Catholic parishes and institutions in Clay County. I am grateful for this opportunity to resolve this matter and to further strengthen our diocesan commitment to the protection of children.
Elements of the agreement provide for a close collaboration between the Bishop, the diocesan Ombudsman, and the Clay County prosecutor. The agreement specifically calls for informational sessions to introduce the ombudsman and Director of Child and Youth Protection to parishioners of Clay County parishes.
Before the work of the Clay County grand jury, I appointed an Ombudsman to receive and investigate any concern of suspicious or inappropriate behavior, with particular emphasis on the protection of children. Very soon, I will designate a Director of Child and Youth Protection to coordinate the work of the Safe Environment Coordinator, the Ombudsman and the Victims’ Advocate. The director will oversee our adult and youth safe environment training programs and will serve as a vital link with the independent work of the Ombudsman and Victims’ Advocate. These persons and offices will serve critical needs throughout the 27 counties that comprise the Diocese of Kansas City ~ St. Joseph.
Bishop strikes deal with prosecutor to avoid criminal citation
MISSOURI
KCTV
LIBERTY, MO (KCTV) -
Kansas City's bishop and the Clay County prosecutor have struck a deal to prevent the church leader from facing another criminal charge for his handling of a priest accused of possessing child pornography.
Clay County Prosecutor Dan White and Robert Finn, bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, announced the agreement Tuesday. The agreement only covers the diocese in Clay County.
Finn agreed to give the prosecutor unprecedented authority to review allegations of child abuse or suspicious activities for the next five years.
"I think it goes a long way to protecting kids in our community and ultimately that was my goal," White said.
Reluctant Accountability in Kansas City
MISSOURI
Jeff Anderson & Associates
Jared Shepherd
Amidst an increased nationwide focus on accountability for child sexual abuse, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph stands as a prime example of an institution’s failure to put its house in order. Today, in lieu of another indictment on misdemeanor charges for the willful disregard of Father Shawn Ratigan’s production of child pornography and exploitation of children, Bishop Robert Finn entered into a compliance agreement with the Clay County Prosecutor. This agreement provides the Clay County prosecutor unique oversight of the Diocese and its handling of child abuse complaints for the next five years. Unfortunately, this agreement was forced only after the devastating impact of broken promises and historic inaction from the Diocese revealed by Father Ratigan’s crimes.
In December 2010, Diocesan officials discovered child pornography on Father Ratigan’s computer. While the Diocese relieved Ratigan of his duties as a pastor of St. Patrick Church, the Diocese did not monitor his behavior and the Diocese did not turn over the computer and images to law enforcement. Instead, the Diocese consulted with their attorneys, made copies of the pornographic images and retained the images for approximately six months, until the intervention of law enforcement in May 2011. Jeff Anderson & Associates filed two separate lawsuits on behalf of Ratigan’s victims, Jane Doe 174 and Jane Doe 186, against Father Ratigan, Bishop Finn, and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
The Diocese’s cover-up of the Ratigan scandal follows their 2008 agreement with 47 sexual abuse survivors to report any suspicion of sexual abuse or misconduct by its clergy to law enforcement. It also follows a pledge made by American Bishops over a decade ago to report suspected child abusers to the appropriate law enforcement officials. For years, the Diocese has put public relations before child protection.
Mo. bishop avoids new charges in child abuse case
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By BILL DRAPER
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City Roman Catholic Bishop dodged more misdemeanor charges Tuesday for his handling of a priest accused of taking hundreds of suspected pornographic pictures of children.
Bishop Robert Finn entered into an agreement with the Clay County prosecutor's office that will give the prosecutor authority, for five years, to review how the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese handles future allegations of child abuse in that county. ...
Terry McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org, which manages a public database of records on clergy abuse cases, said the agreement assumes the bishop and his subordinates can be taken at the word. But he said the Ratigan case showed that's not the case.
David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, also was critical of the agreement, which he said is a means for Finn to avoid taking responsibility for his handling of priest sex abuse of children in his diocese.
"Nothing deters white collar crime like jail time, and nothing exposes a cover-up like a trial. But neither are happening, "Clohessy said. "Finn is doing here what bishops have done for ages, avoiding tough questions in open court and continuing to hide the complicity and corruption of his top staff."
Updates November 17, 2011
The Star’s Editorial | Finn admits he can’t do the job, so why does he keep it?
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
Bishop Robert Finn dodged additional criminal charges this week by agreeing to intensive oversight from the Clay County prosecutor’s office.
While such a deal may protect Finn from the embarrassment of misdemeanor charges in Clay County, he still faces a similar charge in Jackson County.
Beyond that, it is a sorry state of affairs that the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph now admits it needs remedial training to properly do something as basic as protect children from adult sexual predators. And it represents an abysmal failure by Finn and others that they make this admission only now.
The diversion deal doesn’t shield Finn from criminal charges. He agreed to waive a one-year statute of limitations, meaning Clay County can file at any time in the coming five years if he fails to live up to the agreement. But while the deal may make sense legally, it raises a very serious question:
Is Finn really the best man to oversee Kansas City’s Catholic population?
Even as Finn agreed to court oversight, allegations of sexual misconduct within the diocese continued to surface, piling doubts upon existing doubts about his fitness for his office. By agreeing to the oversight, he is in effect agreeing that his office has handled sexual abuse allegations poorly and doesn’t know the way forward without help.
Obviously, he is right to ask for this help. But his role in a rising crisis does not seem a good fit for learning in the future.
The most troubling aspects of child sexual abuse cases coming from the diocese are the alleged acts themselves. But the church’s failure to create an adequate system to ensure all abuse allegations were dealt with promptly, decisively and in the best interest of children is a very serious matter.
Bishop Finn’s diversion is effectively an admission that he was not and is not able to lead this diocese through troubled times. It is time for the church to make that decision official.
Copyright 2011 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted on Wed, Nov. 16, 2011 07:00 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/16/3270208/the-stars-editorial-finn-admits.html
Bishop Finn is not Finn-ished
MISSOURI
Theater of the Word Incorporated
The headline in the Kansas City Star is a bit misleading. BISHOP FINN AVOIDS INDICTMENT BY ENTERING INTO DIVERSION PROGRAM. This is true, but only for Clay County, Missouri. Bishop Finn has already been indicted in Jackson County, Missouri and has pled not guilty in that case. Unless a deal is struck there, he will face a trial.
In the Clay County case, the prosecutor has agreed not to seek an indictment if Bishop Finn participates in a monthly program that in effect allows the county government to have a certain degree of hands-on involvement in running or monitoring the sexual abuse response programs of the diocese.
Reaction to this deal, as reported by the Star, runs from satisfaction to outrage. I think the most telling quote is this:
***
" ... For the church to put itself in a position where the only way out of its legal difficulties is to submit to the oversight of governmental authorities, just that is really a tragic day for the church," said Nicholas Cafardi, a law professor at Duquesne University and former chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Youth.
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SNAP blasts Finn for picking "biased, bizarre shrink"
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Michael Hunter on November 17, 2011
Finn clearly didn’t want an honest assessment of Fr. Ratigan’s sickness. He wanted legal and public relations ‘cover’ so he could put Fr. Ratigan around kids again.
What kind of therapist diagnoses an adult as “lonely” because he takes hundreds of pictures of little girls’ crotches? What kind of therapist blames a parochial school principal for that child predator’s problems? And what kind of bishop seeks out this therapist?
At an absolute bare minimum, Finn owes his flock – especially parents of Fr. Ratigan’s victims – an explanation of why he knowingly picked such an obviously biased and bizarre therapist for such a crucial assignment.
There are tens of thousands of competent, independent mental health professionals in this country. Finn chose none of them. Instead, he deliberately picked a biased guy who would provide the 'cover' Finn sought so he could protect church assets while putting Fr. Ratigan back in ministry.
SNAP in Jackson County Court house
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Catholic League -- Vatican Media Mafia in the USA
KC STAR CAMPAIGN HITS BARS, BARBER SHOPS, ETC.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Catholic League
November 30, 2011
Today, dozens of bars, barber shops and beauty parlors in the Kansas City, Missouri area are being sent copies of the Catholic League ad that the Kansas City Star refused to run on October 30.
This is the twelfth and final segment of the Kansas City area to receive the ad that the Star would like to censor. Previously, we hit (1) every Catholic church, as well as all the nuns, order priests and brothers, (2) every Catholic lay organization, (3) all Catholic schools and colleges, (4) over 100 Protestant churches, (5) Orthodox Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups, (6) private schools, (7) public schools, (8) private and public colleges, (9) government officials, (10) all Chamber of Commerce officials and over 150 local businesses and (11) more than 80 civic associations.
KC STAR CAMPAIGN HITS PROTESTANT CHURCHES
MISSOURI
Catholic League
Today, over 100 Protestant churches in the Kansas City, Missouri area are being sent copies of the Catholic League ad that the Kansas City Star refused to run on October 30.
This is the fourth segment of the Kansas City area to receive the ad that the Star would like to censor. Previously, we hit 1) every Catholic church, as well as all the nuns, order priests and brothers, 2) every Catholic lay organization and 3) all Catholic schools and colleges.
KC STAR CAMPAIGN HITS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
MISSOURI
Catholic League
Today, all the Catholic schools and colleges in the Kansas City, Missouri area are being sent copies of the Catholic League ad that the Kansas City Star refused to run on October 30.
This is the third segment of the Kansas City area to receive the ad that the Star would like to censor. Previously, we hit 1) every Catholic church, as well as all the nuns, order priests and brothers and 2) every Catholic lay organization. To read the ad, click here.
KC STAR CAMPAIGN HITS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Catholic League
Today, all government officials in the Kansas City, Missouri area are being sent copies of the Catholic League ad that the Kansas City Star refused to run on October 30.
This is the ninth segment of the Kansas City area to receive the ad that the Star would like to censor. Previously, we hit (1) every Catholic church, as well as all the nuns, order priests and brothers, (2) every Catholic lay organization, (3) all Catholic schools and colleges, (4) over 100 Protestant churches, (5) Orthodox Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups, (6) private schools, (7) public schools and (8) private and public colleges.
KC STAR CAMPAIGN HITS LOCAL BUSINESSES
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Catholic League
Today, all Chamber of Commerce officials and over 150 local businesses in the Kansas City, Missouri area are being sent copies of the Catholic League ad that the Kansas City Star refused to run on October 30.
This is the tenth segment of the Kansas City area to receive the ad that the Star would like to censor. Previously, we hit (1) every Catholic church, as well as all the nuns, order priests and brothers, (2) every Catholic lay organization, (3) all Catholic schools and colleges, (4) over 100 Protestant churches, (5) Orthodox Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups, (6) private schools, (7) public schools, (8) private and public colleges and (9) government officials.
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Special report: Who knew what in Kansas City child porn case
REUTERS
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/03/us-usa-priest-abuse-idUSTRE7B20HC20111203
Fr. Shawn Ratigan, November 24, 2011
Booking photo in Police Department, November 22, 2011
Fr. Ratigan Spring 2010
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/03/us-usa-priest-abuse-idUSTRE7B20HC20111203
By Carey Gillam
KANSAS CITY, Missouri | Sat Dec 3, 2011 12:00pm EST
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Computer technician Ken Kes was supposed to be repairing a laptop for a local priest as part of his work for a Catholic Diocese in Kansas City. But as Kes opened a series of picture files stored on the computer, he slowly realized that the odd images of young children were not merely strange; they seemed pornographic.
"I looked at the first one. It was a young girl climbing up the back of a pickup truck and I thought, huh, that's kind of a neat shot," the 59-year-old Kes recalled. "The next one that I clicked on was a girl... climbing out of swimming pool and all it showed was her rear end. Then there was a little girl on the grass with her legs spread. All you could see was the area from her belly button to her knees."
By the time Kes got to a graphic photo of a little girl on a bed, exposed below the waist, his hands were shaking and he was in full panic.
"I stopped looking right there and got on the phone," he said.
That discovery last December yielded hundreds of such photos on the laptop of Father Shawn Ratigan, ultimately landing the 46-year-old priest in jail on multiple child pornography charges. He is awaiting trial next summer after pleading not guilty and remains jailed.
And, in what Catholic experts say is a first-ever event, authorities have filed criminal charges against Bishop Robert Finn, the leader of the 133,000-member Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, because despite knowing about the pictures, Finn did not alert authorities.
Bishop Finn is the highest-ranking Catholic official to face criminal charges in the United States in connection with a child sexual abuse case. He is slated for a preliminary court hearing December 15 on a misdemeanor charge of failing to report a child might be subject to abuse.
Finn and the diocese he leads say they are not guilty, arguing that they did not know the pictures constituted child pornography.
Neither Ratigan nor Bishop Finn would agree to interview requests and their lawyers declined to respond to the allegations against them.
But police reports, interviews with individuals involved in the events, an investigative report commissioned by the diocese and overseen by former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves, as well as lawsuits filed against Ratigan, the diocese and Bishop Finn, paint a stark picture of how Catholic leaders overlooked numerous warnings about Father Ratigan's behavior - and ultimately wound up in legal jeopardy themselves.
WATERSHED MOMENT
Kansas City is but one of many communities to struggle with abuse allegations against a Catholic priest and complaints of cover-ups by church officials.
But the Ratigan case marks a first: this time, civil authorities are compelling Catholic leaders, through criminal charges, to face accountability for what happened in a way that goes far beyond statements of regret or financial settlements with victims seen in other church sex abuse cases.
Few expect Bishop Finn will actually serve significant, if any, prison time if convicted. He faces a maximum of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine on the misdemeanor charge, and some sort of plea arrangement is expected by both critics and supporters.
The case has parallels to recent events at Penn State University, where two university officials have been charged with not reporting allegations of child abuse by a former assistant football coach. In that case, the storied college football program headed for decades by coach Joe Paterno has been likened to the church in its culture of secrecy and impunity.
Kansas City lawyer Rebecca Randles is representing four families who have brought civil suits against Bishop Finn and the diocese. She hopes that forcing church officials to accept responsibility for not reporting abuse to civil authorities will serve notice not only on the church but on all insular institutions that seek to protect their own and keep law enforcement at bay.
"The indictment of Bishop Finn is a watershed moment. We are getting a glimpse into what has been business as usual. And shedding light on business as usual is the first way to end business as usual," Randles said.
The events unfolded much like a melodrama: there were warnings about Father Ratigan's behavior before the discovery of the photos. Then came anguished debate by those who saw the photos over how to react, whether or not to call police. Upon being discovered, the priest tried to kill himself, only narrowly surviving. The priest's laptop was destroyed before police could see it.
And in a turn that haunts parents, after recovering from his suicide attempt and being banished from his parish, Ratigan allegedly continued to victimize children when unsuspecting families welcomed the priest into their homes.
The prologue to the saga was grim enough. In 2008 the Kansas City Diocese agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by 47 plaintiffs who claimed that as children decades ago they were repeatedly sexually abused by a group of Kansas City priests. Those events did not involve Ratigan, occurring well before he was ordained, but it put the diocese on high alert for any improper behavior.
Bishop Finn helped oversee the 2008 settlement, listening to accounts from victims who detailed priest-organized parties that featured drug and alcohol use, pornography and repeated child rape. The diocese, which spans 27 counties of northern and western Missouri, paid the group $10 million and pledged to put in place rigorous policies that would protect children from predatory priests.
For the last few years, training on how to identify a child predator has been mandatory for all employees of the diocese, including more than 1,000 teachers at the 28 elementary and eight Catholic high schools within the diocese. The diocese posts hotline numbers on its website, has a special review panel for child abuse cases and asks anyone suspecting harm to a child to speak out.
At the time of the 2008 settlement, Finn vowed reform was a top priority. He declared he would be vigilant in making sure nothing like that ever happened again.
And then it did.
SIGNS OF TROUBLE
The camera was an early clue. From the time he was ordained into the Catholic priesthood in 2004, Father Shawn Ratigan carried a camera with him nearly all the time. At church and school events and during many frequent visits to the homes of families within his parish, the gregarious middle-aged priest was known for his skill in capturing events with both a camera and his cell phone.
Children were a favored subject for his photos, and his activities. Ratigan readily talked about how much he enjoyed young people, encouraged children to sit on his lap, pushed them high on swings and frequently offered hugs. The burly, goateed priest also sought out children to "friend" on Facebook and seemed eager to attend field trips, birthday parties, ice skating events and the like.
As one of five brothers and sisters in a large Catholic family, Ratigan was also known as a favorite uncle to his 11 nieces and nephews. His home held stuffed animals and doll-shaped towels, and children were frequent visitors.
Ratigan sometimes showed a bit of a wild side though, according to those who know him. He loved his Harley motorcycle, shaved his head and smoked cigarettes. Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon was his drink of choice.
Still, his work with the Catholic Church was his main focus. After dating women in his youth and working in a family business that refurbished churches, he was ordained as a priest in 2004. Ratigan seemed to transition easily into the roles of pastor and chaplain at parish schools.
There were early complaints about Ratigan's behavior. But it was not until after he was assigned pastor of St. Patrick Parish and School in Kansas City in July 2009 that some parents and teachers raised a series of concerns about his behavior involving children.
Some within the parish worried that his close interaction with children resembled the "grooming" behavior of a predator. But when these complaints were raised with Ratigan, he brushed them aside and insisted he was doing no wrong, according to the Graves report to the diocese.
The priest's Facebook page also raised red flags. It featured photos of him swimming in a lake with a young girl, and pictures of children sitting on his lap.
In one incident mentioned in the Graves report, parents of Girl Scouts planting flowers at Ratigan's townhouse complained that they were alarmed to find a pair of young girl's underwear in a planter in his yard.
As complaints mounted, St. Patrick School Principal Julie Hess decided to take the concerns to diocese officials, putting together a written report outlining the complaints from parents and teachers.
In May 2010, Hess met with Deacon Mike Lewis, who asked her to report her concerns directly to the diocese main office. Neither Lewis nor Hess would agree to interviews, but their accounts are contained in lawsuits against the diocese and Finn and in the Graves report.
Hess's concerns eventually made their way to Monsignor Robert Murphy, the second-ranking officer in the diocese.
As administrator of the diocese's "response team" that investigates sexual abuse of children, Murphy was supposed to work with the diocese's Independent Review Board, set up in 2002 to make recommendations to the bishop when sexual abuse of minors was suspected.
Monsignor Murphy did act on Hess' concerns, meeting with Ratigan and ordering him to maintain proper boundaries with children. He also notified Bishop Finn of the situation. But he did not take the issue to the review board because Ratigan's acts were thought to be "boundary violations" but not sexual abuse, according to information from diocese officials in the Graves report.
For a few months Ratigan seemed to have gotten the message. The priest emailed an apology to St. Patrick's teachers and Principal Hess: "My heart is heavy because I love the kids and I would never do anything to harm them. I promise that nothing will happen again," Ratigan wrote.
The complaints subsided through the summer and the concerns seemed to have been addressed. A new school year started and fall turned to winter. Then Father Ratigan decided he needed his laptop fixed.
"A BAD THING"
It was mid-December of last year when Ratigan complained about problems with his laptop and a St. Patrick office manager called Kes, the computer repairman. Kes picked up the laptop on December 16 and took it to his home office.
Raised Catholic, Kes had served as an altar boy growing up in Minnesota and had fond memories of going to baseball games with his priest. He attended private Catholic schools through high school before drifting away from the church.
When Kes and his wife moved to her hometown of Kansas City to raise their three girls, he approached the diocese to seek a job handling computer technology jobs.
Kes had several friends in the diocese, and he felt particularly close to Deacon Lewis. He also knew many of the priests, Ratigan among them. Though he thought the priest a bit of a "grump," he shared Ratigan's interest in motorcycles and helped him set up Internet services in his home.
So when Kes discovered the photos on Ratigan's computer, he was stunned. He dialed his oldest brother and asked what he should do.
"He told me to turn it over to the police," Kes said.
Kes made more phone calls, to another brother and to the pastor of a local Baptist church. Both told him to call police. Kes then called his wife of 39 years, Linda, who, he said, gave him a different answer: Take the computer back to the church and tell them what he had found.
Kes agreed and called the diocese to alert them to his discovery and let them know he was bringing the laptop back.
"I didn't want it in my possession," said Kes. "This is a bad thing."
Kes rushed the laptop back to the St. Patrick parish office, where he found his friend Deacon Lewis waiting. He showed Lewis the alarming photos and remembers that Lewis seemed "shocked" at what he was seeing.
Kes said he felt assured the matter would be referred to police and he left the laptop with Lewis, confident something would quickly be done.
According to the Graves report, Lewis did act quickly. He immediately notified Monsignor Murphy of the discovery of disturbing images on Ratigan's laptop. He then raced to get the laptop from St. Patrick's, where Ratigan was expected to arrive shortly, to Murphy's office at the Chancery, the main office for the diocese.
Murphy also acted quickly. Before even receiving the laptop, Murphy placed a call to a member of the diocese's Independent Review Board who was a police officer, Rick Smith.
But Monsignor Murphy, who had not yet seen the pictures, only passed on Deacon Lewis' description of one nude, non-sexual image of a young girl, thought to be one of Ratigan's nieces, and asked if it might be considered child pornography. He did not tell Smith there were hundreds of troublesome photos, according to the accounts of those involved.
Without having seen the one photo described or getting any indication there might be more like it, Smith consulted with an expert in his department and then called back with a conjecture that the photo might or might not be pornography. Smith did not suspect that the diocese might be holding back any information.
Monsignor Murphy then sought more input, asking for the diocese's information management director, Julie Creech, to review the photos once the laptop arrived. Murphy also alerted Finn to the situation.
A SUICIDE ATTEMPT
When Deacon Lewis arrived at the Chancery, he handed over the laptop with a warning to Monsignor Murphy that the situation was a "time bomb" that required urgent handling.
Creech took charge. Digging into the files on the laptop, she found hundreds of photos, some that appeared to have been taken from under tables, focused on crotch areas of children. Girls wearing shorts who appeared to be 8-10 years old were pictured with legs spread. A toddler was seen with her diaper pulled back to expose her. Creech also found bookmarked websites on the computer for two-way mirrors, spy pens and tiny hidden cameras designed to look like ink pens.
Creech copied the photos and advised Monsignor Murphy to call police, according to an interview she gave for the Graves investigation. Diocese communications director Rebecca Summers also told Murphy to call police. Neither would comment for this story. Still, nobody called authorities.
Ratigan initially denied knowing what was on the computer, telling Deacon Lewis it had been given to him by another person, according to the Graves report. The next day, December 17, the day of the diocese Christmas party, Ratigan did not show up for mass. Lewis went to Ratigan's home to check on him, and ended up calling emergency responders who found the priest nearly dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. He was lying on the floor of his garage next to his motorcycle. Authorities reported that he had a cell phone in one hand and his rosary in the other.
At the hospital, some of Ratigan's relatives met with Deacon Lewis, who explained to the family that some inappropriate images had been found on the priest's laptop. Lewis did not say they involved children, according to Darron Blankenship, Ratigan's brother-in-law, and the family never suspected the pictures might be evidence of illegal activity.
The family assumed the photos must be personal pictures of Ratigan with a woman, or perhaps adult pornography. The thought that the pictures might be of children never seemed possible, said Blankenship.
"I'd known him 16 years. He was one of my good friends," said Blankenship, who is married to Ratigan's youngest sister.
At first it looked as though Ratigan might not survive. But the priest recovered and was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Kansas City. Still lacking details from the diocese, Ratigan's brothers and sisters took their children to visit Ratigan in the hospital.
The children of St. Patrick parish were encouraged by their teachers to send get well cards to Ratigan, a detail that still outrages many parents nearly a year later.
As Ratigan regained his health, Bishop Finn, Monsignor Murphy and others in the diocese continued to agonize over what to do. More diocese officials and staffers were brought into the discussion, including consultations with legal counsel. Diocese officials ultimately concluded that the pictures did not appear to be pornographic because they did not depict sexual conduct, sexual contact, a sexual performance, or meet other criteria they believed would constitute child pornography, according to the Graves report and interviews with other sources.
Some inside the diocese believed that Murphy had fully explained the situation to police and had been told the pictures were not pornographic.
For his part, Bishop Finn maintains that he never viewed the photos himself but only had them described to him. In comments following Ratigan's arrest, he called the pictures "inappropriate photographs or images."
Following Ratigan's recovery from his suicide attempt, the bishop sent him for psychiatric evaluation in Pennsylvania. After getting an opinion that Ratigan was not a pedophile from a Pennsylvania doctor who specializes in treating priests for mental health issues, Bishop Finn assigned Ratigan to live in a mission house with aging priests in Independence, Missouri, and warned him to stay away from his computer and not to use his camera.
As the time stretched on, diocese officials began to debate whether or not they should try to identify the children in the photos. They did not in the end make such an effort, and though diocese officials discussed calling the Missouri Department of Family Services, no such contact was made. The diocese also decided not to refer the matter to its own Independent Review Board based on the rationale that no victims had complained.
And in a move the diocese ultimately grew to regret, it continued to keep the matter a secret from the families attending its churches and schools.
"I constantly look at the teachers now and wonder who knew," said Thu Meng, whose 5-year-old daughter used to insist on hugging Father Ratigan when Meng dropped her off at kindergarten.
Because so many of the photos do not show the faces of the little girls, Meng still is not certain that her daughter escaped Ratigan's lens.
"Nothing was done. There was no notification of parents until after he was arrested in May," she said. "Bishop Finn was in that case in 2008. Anything should have been a red flag for him."
MORE PHOTOS, MORE VICTIMS
By mid-February, Bishop Finn had laid down strict orders for Ratigan to stay away from children with the exception of celebrating mass for some youth and student groups. Finn ordered him also to stay away from cameras and computers, to stay in counseling and to refrain from ministry outside of work he might do at the Franciscan Prayer Center. The center housed elderly nuns and was located near the Vincentian Mission House where Ratigan was living, according to diocese officials.
But Ratigan did not adhere to the bishop's orders and in March attended a St. Patrick's Day parade, and went to a sixth-grade girl's birthday party. Bishop Finn has stated publicly that he confronted Ratigan about the violations and again admonished him to stay away from children.
Also in March, Finn gave Ratigan's computer to one of Ratigan's brothers, explaining that the diocese no longer needed the computer and that Ratigan himself was banned from using computers. Finn has said publicly that the family asked for the laptop back, but family members say Finn asked them to take it.
The family at first considered giving the computer to a college-bound family member, but recalling the diocese's warning of inappropriate images that the family thought were of adults, they ultimately destroyed the machine. They had no knowledge the computer might contain evidence needed for a criminal investigation, said Blankenship.
Concerns continued to mount. In April, Ratigan was seen interacting with children who came to the Franciscan Prayer Center for overnight retreats. Also in April, Ratigan hosted an Easter party with several young children among the attendees, including his family.
In fact, on Easter Sunday, Ratigan took more pornographic pictures of a young girl, prosecutors and plaintiffs in the civil lawsuits have alleged.
And according to a lawsuit brought by the parents of one alleged victim, Ratigan tried to take lewd photos of their daughter when invited to their house for dinner. Ratigan had contacted the girl on Facebook and her parents were concerned for his welfare following what they believed was an accident that hospitalized him in December.
They caught him taking a picture on his cell phone under their dinner table, the lawsuit states. Ratigan's lawyer declined to comment on this or other allegations.
Meanwhile, Kes continued to wonder and worry about the priest and the photos he had seen. He let his friend Deacon Lewis know how upset he was that police had not been called. He told Reuters he did not feel he had any evidence to take to police himself since he longer had the laptop. But as the months passed, Kes warned Lewis he would soon be going to police himself if the Diocese did not.
RATIGAN IS ARRESTED
It was mid-May when Monsignor Murphy finally brought in authorities. Without first alerting Bishop Finn, he met with Captain Smith, the same police official he had reached out to in December with the description of a single nude photo. This time, however, Murphy's story was different.
There were hundreds of photos, he told Smith.
The police captain told Murphy he needed to give the laptop to authorities immediately. But the machine had been destroyed several weeks prior, leaving only the copies the diocese had made to be handed over as evidence.
The destruction of the laptop, a key piece of evidence, was a significant blow to the investigation. Police had no way of knowing if the diocese had copied every photo, said Kansas City police detective Maggie McGuire, who sits on the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force and led the Ratigan investigation.
"It was huge not to have the laptop," said McGuire.
Still, she said, investigators found explicit photos on a computer at St. Mary Parish where Ratigan had served from 2005-2009, which aided the investigation. Police also found compact discs belonging to Ratigan loaded with photos of young girls as well as a CD inside an envelope attached to a receipt dated April 2004. It contained 14 images of what police said were child pornography involving a girl who appeared to be 3 to 4 years old. Many photos appeared to have been taken in or around the churches Ratigan served.
The volume and content of the photos was unsettling even to veteran detective McGuire. "He's the priest. I was raised very Catholic and went to Catholic schools," McGuire said. "We see a lot of things in this job I do. But this is unbelievable to me."
Father Ratigan was arrested on May 18 and subsequently charged with three counts of felony possession of child pornography in Clay County, one of several jurisdictions that overlap with the boundaries of the diocese. He also was charged in U.S. District Court with 13 federal counts of producing and possessing child pornography.
Following Ratigan's arrest, Bishop Finn sought prayers and forgiveness: "I deeply regret that we didn't ask the police earlier to conduct a full investigation," Finn said in a statement. "Let us pray for each other in these difficult days."
Five months after Ratigan's arrest, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker obtained a grand jury indictment against Bishop Finn, charging him with failing to report Ratigan to authorities as he was legally mandated to do. Baker also obtained an indictment against the diocese, and says that holds accountable all the officials there who failed to act.
"It's all a violation of trust. Kids can't protect themselves," Baker said in an interview. "All of us should be looking to safeguard kids."
The charges are based on "mandated reporter" laws, which require school officials, clergy and virtually anyone with access to and control over a child to immediately alert child protective services and law enforcement if they have any reason to suspect abuse or child endangerment.
The prosecutor in neighboring Clay County also pursued criminal charges but reached an agreement with Finn in November requiring the bishop to undergo close civil oversight in exchange for avoiding criminal charges.
FALLOUT
Immediately following Ratigan's arrest, the diocese issued a statement, saying its foremost concern was for "the safety and welfare" of the unidentified children in the photos and their families.
"Preventing and reporting the suspicion of abuse is a required response to what we are called to do as followers of Jesus," the diocese said.
Some are calling for the bishop's ouster. A Facebook page has been created called "Bishop Finn Must Go" and critics have held protests outside diocese offices.
Members of the Ratigan family say they are furious at Finn and the diocese for not sharing information with them. During the months preceding the arrest, they continued to let Ratigan spend time with his nieces and nephews. "When I learned Shawn had been arrested for child pornography, a feeling of anger, disgust, and hatred came over me like I had never felt before," said Blankenship.
In addition to the criminal charges against Finn and the diocese, four civil lawsuits have been filed alleging the actions of the bishop and others in the diocese amounted to a cover-up, charges they deny.
The 141-page Graves report, commissioned by the diocese itself and published in August, does not address the legal issues, but did conclude that diocese officials failed to "properly react" as a "direct result of Diocesan officials' decisions and oversight."
Bishop Finn has sought to calm parishioners, holding meetings with parents, promising to expand diocese policies to better protect children and declaring that "things must change."
He has banned Ratigan from performing sacred rites of the church and started the process of dismissing him from the clergy entirely, said diocese spokeswoman Becky Summers. The bishop has also appointed a new ombudsman to handle complaints about priests, and on November 30, the diocese established a Department of Child and Youth Protection and named a director to lead that office starting December 1.
"The leadership understands this is something that must be addressed," said Jenifer Valenti, a former assistant prosecuting attorney for Jackson County hired this summer to be the diocese ombudsman.
Bishop Finn maintains the diocese will get through the crisis. In a statement issued in October following his indictment, Finn said: "With deep faith, we will weather this storm and never cease to fulfill our mission, even in moments of adversity."
(Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Claudia Parsons)
==========
Comments:
BC Student10
The public gets to perceive it because the media finally ripped the truth out of the Catholic church, like they did in Boston.
Cardinal Bernard Law called upon the "wrath of God" to come down on the Boston Globe when they were investigating Fr Porter. God helped the Boston Globe, and they found out that Fr Porter had raped over 100 children, and Cardinal Law kept moving him from parish to parish. The scandal broke because of the media, despite the attempts of the Catholic church to hide Fr Porter and hundreds of other pedophile priests.
God blessed the media, not the Catholic church. Regardless, the Catholic League and others will continue to spread partial truths that are eaten up and spread by the congregation, since the Catholic congregation is willing to be ignorant. The Catholic League "ad" talks about one photo of a naked child, when it was was actually the last in a strip tease, where the child was posed to strip out of a baby diaper.
Horrifying to the public, but acceptable dishonesty by the Catholic community, who considers it "only baby diaper strip tease".
•jlo1231 1 comment
There is no individual more courageous than one that tells his painful story so that others may be spared the pain. Going through that hard work is very difficult. I can only imagine the pain. I just hope that those individuals know that God loves them for what they are doing, and that these montrous priests that do this damage have NOTHING to do with God.
Someone very close to me was sexually abused as a child and spent years behaving self-destructively. Just now, in his fourties, has he begun to accept that what happened to him was not his fault and that God is not the one who did this to him--God is the one that gave him the strength to believe in himself and STAY ALIVE when that was so hard to do.
Thank you KC Star for giving this matter the attention it WELL DESERVES and for breaking this painful silence that so many have carried on for WAY too long.
Right_Way1 9
Thanks to the KC Star for keeping this story on the front page. I don't see anything in The Carholic Key (Dicesean newspaper) I don't hear in homilies every week reminding people to report any instance of abuse past or present. The church again is trying to bury it.
If the church was concerned:
The bishop would step down, change his plea to guilty and volunteer to go to jail.
Priests involved in the abuse or the cover up would turn themselves in.
The church would do everything it could to go out of its way to do whatever is necessary to stop abuse
===========
The Star’s editorial | A victim’s courageous stand
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
Child molesters rely on intimidation, silence and misplaced trust to gain access to their victims. And in Kansas City and elsewhere, the Catholic Church too often has allowed those conditions to breed.
In a three-part series this week, The Kansas City Star presented a horrific story of childhoods ruined and families devastated because of alleged sexual abuse by a priest.
The story could be told only because a man who says he was molested as a boy, Jon David Couzens, made the wrenching decision to speak out.
Couzens, 41, told The Star that a priest, Monsignor Thomas O’Brien, molested him and three Catholic school classmates after they were chosen to help serve Mass at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Independence in the early 1980’s.
Couzens said that O’Brien, who has faced multiple accusations of sexual abuse of children but denies any involvement, told him and the three other boys they would be expelled from the church and disowned by their parents if they told anyone of the abuse.
One of the boys committed suicide at age 14. Another struggled with drugs and alcohol and was himself accused of molesting a child. He died in a traffic accident at age 31. The fourth boy says he has no memory of being abused by O’Brien.
By telling his story, Couzens has shined a light into dark recesses, the existence of which church leaders have long denied. For that, a few of the church’s more radical defenders are trying to impeach Couzens’ character.
But, after struggling for decades with guilt and shame, Couzens showed great courage in telling his story. Because of him and others who are speaking out, people in positions of authority will find it harder to harm children.
Couzens’ story is a painful one for the local Catholic Church. But leaders here and elsewhere must use its lessons to ensure that no other child or family will suffer the consequences of misdeeds committed under the church’s auspices.
Copyright 2011 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted on Wed, Dec. 07, 2011 05:18 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/07/3307585/the-stars-editorial-a-victims.html#ixzz1gAJOiYsb
COMMENTS:
Patrick O'Malley 1 comment collapsed Collapse Expand Catholics protect their pedophiles like parents protect their children.
In St Louis, just across the state, 5 victims of Fr Robert Larson committed suicide in their 20s because they could never get the nightmare out of their head of being raped, viciously, by a Catholic priest. Larson had at least 17 other victims that they know about.
He spent under two years in prison, having been defended by a top notch Catholic lawyer.
The Catholic church is making no effort whatsoever to try to seek out other victims, because they don't want to pay for therapy for the victims of their crimes.
However, the Catholic church and your contributions pay for Fr Larson's retirement, living at the beautiful St John Vianney Center in Missouri, a nice retirement for someone who was responsible for at least 5 suicides and at least 12 other ruined lives.
If you are Catholic, and you let these priests &
bishops get away with this, don’t be stupid.
God will ask you about it on your judgment day. Those five suicide victims and tens of thousands of others will be at God’s side.
God will ask why you followed these priests and bishops and didn’t protect
His children. When God asks you why you would listen to priests and bishops that had sex with children and hid known child rapists, have a good answer. You have eternity to come up with a good one.
=====
Update for February 9, 2012
*****
Abuse victims and SNAP are being attacked by lawyers for KC Bishop Robert Finn and pedophile priests. We're fighting hard to protect the confidentiality of victims, witnesses, whistleblowers, police, prosecutors, journalists and others who come to us for help. Details
Here are several links to news coverage of SNAP's fight to protect the privacy of victims, witnesses, whistleblowers, journalists, politicians, prosecutors, and concerned Catholics, despite hardball tactics by Missouri Catholic officials:
■SNAP subpoenas harm key ally for victims (1/13/12) - National Catholic Reporter
■SNAP faces subpoenas, KC Star calls for overturning "chilling" court order (1/9/12) - Bilgrimage
■The Star's Editorial | Clergy abuse lawsuit takes a chilling turn (1/8/12) - KC Star
■Editorial: Bishops target victims' advocacy group in St. Louis, Kansas City (1/5/12) - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
■Abuse victims to fight records disclosure (1/3/12) - TIME
■SNAP leader vows to fight records disclosure order (1/3/12) - The Associated Press
■SNAP Leader: Testimony was "fishing expedition" (1/3/12) - National Catholic Reporter
■MO Supreme Court rules SNAP must reveal docs to Church (1/3/12) - KPLR 11
Here are links to statements that SNAP has released about this situation:
■Deposition of a SNAP leader to be made public
■Church seeks 19-year-old victim's records
■Unprecedented attack on victims by KC Catholic officials
■Victims fight gag order
Here are links to legal filings in this ongoing legal battle to protect kids and help victims:
■October 27, 2011 - SNAP Director David Clohessy is served with a subpoena by KC Priest
■November 14, 2011 - SNAP Director tries to block subpoena...
■November 14, 2011 - ...and files more evidence in support of motion.
■November 18, 2011 - KC priest opposes SNAP Director's motion.
■November 23, 2011 - Plaintiff files in support of SNAP Director's motion to quash
■November 29, 2011 - SNAP Director files a reply in response to opposition.
■November 30, 2011 - Judge files an Order that grants in part and denies in part SNAP Director's Motion to Quash.
■December 6, 2011 - SNAP Director asks Judge to reconsider her decision.
■December 20, 2011 - SNAP Director replies to response from the opposition.
■December 28, 2011 - Judge denies SNAP Director's Motion to Reconsider
■December 28, 2011 - SNAP Director appeals to the MO Supreme Court to postpone deposition
■December 28, 2011 - An Amicus Brief is filed by ten organizations on behalf of and in support of SNAP
■December 28, 2011 - A description of the organizations named in the Amicus Brief
■December 30, 2011 - SNAP gets second subpoena, this one in St. Louis.
■January 2, 2012 - MO Supreme Court denies SNAP Director's request to postpone deposition
■January 3, 2012 - Judge orders that the deposition of SNAP Director be sealed
■January 17, 2012 - Judge unseals the deposition of SNAP Director
Here's how to send letters to the editor to KC and STL Newspapers:
■St. Louis Post Dispatch - Please email your letter, signed with your name and home address, to letters@post-dispatch.com
■Kansas City Star - Please fill out the form located here.
How the two cases - KC & St. Louis differ
In Kansas City
The subpoena was issued in late October and the deposition was Monday, Jan. 2
The victim is male & middle aged & repressed his memories
The accused priest, Fr. Michael Tierney, is still a priest (so almost certainly still on the payroll) and lives in KC
The lawyers doing the hardball are the accused priest's lawyers (Brian Madden)
In St. Louis
The subpoena was issued this week (Jan. 3) and the deposition is set for mid-February
The victim is female, barely out of her teens & appraently did NOT repress her memories
The accused priest, Fr. Joseph D. Ross, has been defrocked (so is NOT on the church payroll) and his whereabouts are unknown
The lawyers doing the hardball are the archdiocesan lawyers (Bernie Huger)
But of course, in both situations, the impact is the same - more fear and hurt for who have been betrayed and are still suffering because of men who commit and conceal child sex crimes.
Bottom line: it’s a unprecedented, invasive, expensive and “chilling” SLAPP-style attack on the privacy, free speech, and free association rights of victims, witnesses, journalists, whistleblowers, church employees and concerned Catholics.
Never before in our 23 year history has anyone sought, much less won, access to so much private information. (And again, SNAP is not even a party to any litigation.)
And while for now, it looks like we can protect the names of victims, the predators' lawyers can always appeal and a judge coud always change her/his mind on that issue.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/snaps_fight
=======
New abuse & cover up lawsuit is filed in KCPosted by David Clohessy on February 09, 2012
■Priest allegedly died of AIDS
■He’s publicly accused for 1st time
■New abuse & cover up lawsuit is filed
■For 2nd time in 2 days, a KC cleric is sued
■SNAP to Finn: “Don’t split hairs – do your moral & civic duty”
WHAT:
For the first time, a KC area Catholic priest who allegedly died of AIDS is being accused of child sexual abuse and Catholic officials are also named as defendants in a new civil lawsuit. The case will be disclosed and discussed at a news conference today at which clergy sex abuse victims will also hold signs and childhood photos. They will also
--read aloud a statement by the victim (who is remaining anonymous)
--urge Catholic officials to “stop the slow drip, drip, drip of seemingly endless allegations” by “coming clean” and publicly naming all proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics,
-- post their names, photos and whereabouts on church websites, and
--aggressively reach out to anyone with information about their crimes and alleged crimes.
WHEN:
Thursday, Feb. 9, 1:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Outside the KC chancery (diocesan headquarters) 20 West Ninth Street (at Baltimore) in KC MO
WHO:
Two child sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a St. Louis woman who is the organization's outreach director
WHY:
Fr. James Ford allegedly molested, on several occasions, a 12 or 13 year old boy at Holy Cross parish in northeast Kansas City. Ford died in 1992. This is the first time he’s been publicly accused of child sex crimes.
Holy Cross is at 5106 St. John Ave. between N Quincy and N Denver Aves (816 231 4845). Fr. Joseph Cisetti is the current pastor (816 231 4845,ext. 5445)
http://holycrosskansascity.parishesonline.com/scripts/HostedSites/Org.asp?ID=14780
SNAP wants Bishop Robert Finn to do what 24 of his colleagues have done, and post on their websites, for the sake of public safety, the names, whereabouts and priestly status of child molesting clerics who are or have been in the state. The organizations consider this a simple, inexpensive, common sense way to safeguard children and young people. (Last year, two Massachusetts bishops - in Boston and Springfield - have done this.)
According to a Boston-based independent research group called BishopAccountabilty.org, there are 22 publicly accused child molesting Catholic clerics (diocesan and religious order) who molested while in the Kansas City diocese. SNAP notes that the actual number of area pedophile priests is likely higher because BishopAccountability.org lists only those clerics against whom allegations have been made ‘public’ – in civil lawsuits, criminal prosecution or news accounts.
In 2002, Baltimore became the first US diocese to disclose names. Even the much-maligned Philadelphia archdiocese (where the second in command faces criminal charges for concealing child sex crimes) has posted such a list: http://archphila.org/protection/Updates/update_main.htm. Here are all of the dioceses that have disclosed alleged predators’ names: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/lists.htm
SNAP worries that others who have been hurt by Fr. Ford may still be “suffering in shame, isolation and self blame” and want Catholic officials to “aggressively reach out to others in pain.”
KC attorney Rebecca Randles represents the victim. KC attorney Jon Haden represents the diocese.
Yesterday, a police officer filed a similar abuse and cover up lawsuit against Fr. James Urbanic, who was suspended from active ministry at Sacred Heart parish in Warrensburg last summer.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2011/07_08/2011_07_05_Thomas_CatholicPriest.htm
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2011/07_08/2011_07_05_Thomas_CatholicPriest.htm
CONTACT:
Barb Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Director (314) 503 0003, SNAPdorris@gmail.com, David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP Executive Director (314) 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
------------------
Parishioner attends meeting saying it did not go far enough
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One Parishioner at St. Patrick's Church in Kansas City said Bishop Robert Finn owes Catholics an apology for allowing the sex abuse scandal to happen
On Saturday, Finn met with parishioners at the church.
St. Patrick's is the church where Father Shawn Ratigan was when the scandal involving child porn began.
Last May, Ratigan was charged with possessing child porn.
Finn was also charged for failure to report abuse suspicio...
go far enough
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One Parishioner at St. Patrick's Church in Kansas City said Bishop Robert Finn owes Catholics an apology for allowing the sex abuse scandal to happen
She said Finn is not a spiritual leader anymore and wants him to step down.
On Saturday, Finn met with parishioners at the church.
St. Patrick's is the church where Father Shawn Ratigan was when the scandal involving child porn began.
Last May, Ratigan was charged with possessing child porn.
Finn was also charged for failure to report abuse suspicions. He agreed to a plea deal where he would visit churches.
Melanie Lawson is a parishioner and attended the meeting.
She told 41 Action News that she feels Finn has an obligation to parishioners to explain why it took so long for Ratigan to be charged. She said he knew of the inappropriate acts, and did nothing about it.
She said Finn is not a spiritual leader anymore and wants him to step down.
"If you have a leader stand in their position who knows what was going on and he's allowed to keep his leadership role, it sends a message to the clergy and volunteers we don't have to do anything different," said Lawson.
Lawson said Finn did not address the scandal and left an hour after the meeting began.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/parishioner-attends-meeting-saying-it-did-not-go-far-enough#ixzz1lc5nKBlh
News update for April 7, 2012
Court: Bishop Finn is required to report child abuse
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
Yael T. Abouhalkah
In a full-scale setback for Bishop Robert Finn, he lost a legal battle today when a judge ordered him to stand trial in a child abuse case.
You can read the full ruling regarding this nationally watched case by Jackson County Circuit Judge John Torrence here.
Finn essentially lost the most important bid he and his lawyers were making in court, which was to throw the whole thing out.
And here’s a key part of the Torrence ruling:
“The court finds that the evidence in this case is sufficient to allow a jury to conclude that Bishop Finn was a designated reporter as defined by Missouri law.”
Note: The judge obviously wasn’t reaching a conclusion on whether Finn had or had not violated the law in a specific case of child abuse.
But he was striking down a key contention made by Finn and his supporters, that he shouldn’t even be a mandatory reporter when it came to abuse of minors.
Yes, he should be on that list, the judge said.
This ruling ratchets up the possibility that Finn may become the highest ranking Catholic to be found guilty of participating in the church’s long-standing coverup of sexual abuse of minors.
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/court-bishop-finn-required-report-child-abuse/#storylink=cpy
The Kansas City Star
Yael T. Abouhalkah
In a full-scale setback for Bishop Robert Finn, he lost a legal battle today when a judge ordered him to stand trial in a child abuse case.
You can read the full ruling regarding this nationally watched case by Jackson County Circuit Judge John Torrence here.
Finn essentially lost the most important bid he and his lawyers were making in court, which was to throw the whole thing out.
And here’s a key part of the Torrence ruling:
“The court finds that the evidence in this case is sufficient to allow a jury to conclude that Bishop Finn was a designated reporter as defined by Missouri law.”
Note: The judge obviously wasn’t reaching a conclusion on whether Finn had or had not violated the law in a specific case of child abuse.
But he was striking down a key contention made by Finn and his supporters, that he shouldn’t even be a mandatory reporter when it came to abuse of minors.
Yes, he should be on that list, the judge said.
This ruling ratchets up the possibility that Finn may become the highest ranking Catholic to be found guilty of participating in the church’s long-standing coverup of sexual abuse of minors.
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/court-bishop-finn-required-report-child-abuse/#storylink=cpy
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Updates for August 2, 2012
Shawn Ratigan, priest accused of producing child pornography, pleads guilty
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Pitch
Posted by Ben Palosaari on Thu, Aug 2, 2012
Shawn Ratigan, a former priest at Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist in Independence, has pleaded guilty to five federal felony counts of making or attempting to make child pornography, The Star reports. He faces up to 30 years in prison for each count. Ratigan's shocking story became public last year. He took his laptop to a repair shop and up-skirt photographs of children were discovered on the hard drive. A technician told church officials, who in turn told the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Officials within the diocese allegedly sat on the information from December 2010 to May 2011 before they told police. They copied the pornography to discs and gave the computer to Ratigan's family members. They destroyed the computer, and diocese officials gave the images to detectives.
Bishop Robert W. Finn released a statement when the charges were announced in which he said he regretted the way the diocese has handled the situation. Court documents said at the time that Ratigan attempted suicide on December 17, 2010 by running his motorcycle in his closed garage. Documents also said he had left a suicide note apologizing to the girls he allegedly had pictures of.
Pitch
Posted by Ben Palosaari on Thu, Aug 2, 2012
Shawn Ratigan, a former priest at Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Eucharist in Independence, has pleaded guilty to five federal felony counts of making or attempting to make child pornography, The Star reports. He faces up to 30 years in prison for each count. Ratigan's shocking story became public last year. He took his laptop to a repair shop and up-skirt photographs of children were discovered on the hard drive. A technician told church officials, who in turn told the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Officials within the diocese allegedly sat on the information from December 2010 to May 2011 before they told police. They copied the pornography to discs and gave the computer to Ratigan's family members. They destroyed the computer, and diocese officials gave the images to detectives.
Bishop Robert W. Finn released a statement when the charges were announced in which he said he regretted the way the diocese has handled the situation. Court documents said at the time that Ratigan attempted suicide on December 17, 2010 by running his motorcycle in his closed garage. Documents also said he had left a suicide note apologizing to the girls he allegedly had pictures of.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Washington Post
Kansas City priest pleads guilty to 5 federal child pornography charges; 8 others dismissed
By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, August 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Roman Catholic priest in Kansas City pleaded guilty Thursday to producing child pornography in a federal case that also led to charges against the diocese bishop for failing to report suspected child abuse, and prosecutors said they would recommend that he be sentenced to life in prison.
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan, 46, had been scheduled for trial later this month. He was charged with child pornography in May 2011 in Clay County after police received a flash drive from the priest’s computer that contained hundreds of images of children, most of them clothed, with the focus on their crotch areas. Prosecutors alleged he photographed girls, sometimes under their skirts, in and around churches where he had worked in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Under terms of the plea deal, Ratigan pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child porn. Eight other counts against Ratigan were dismissed.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark said the guilty pleas represent one charge for each of five victims whose abuse started in June 2005 — one year after Ratigan was ordained as a priest. ...
In a statement released Wednesday, the diocese expressed its “profound concern” for anyone harmed by Ratigan and said it is committed to making sure “every report of sexual abuse, boundary violation or misconduct is addressed thoroughly and immediately.”
Washington Post
Kansas City priest pleads guilty to 5 federal child pornography charges; 8 others dismissed
By Associated Press, Updated: Thursday, August 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Roman Catholic priest in Kansas City pleaded guilty Thursday to producing child pornography in a federal case that also led to charges against the diocese bishop for failing to report suspected child abuse, and prosecutors said they would recommend that he be sentenced to life in prison.
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan, 46, had been scheduled for trial later this month. He was charged with child pornography in May 2011 in Clay County after police received a flash drive from the priest’s computer that contained hundreds of images of children, most of them clothed, with the focus on their crotch areas. Prosecutors alleged he photographed girls, sometimes under their skirts, in and around churches where he had worked in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Under terms of the plea deal, Ratigan pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child porn. Eight other counts against Ratigan were dismissed.
Acting U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark said the guilty pleas represent one charge for each of five victims whose abuse started in June 2005 — one year after Ratigan was ordained as a priest. ...
In a statement released Wednesday, the diocese expressed its “profound concern” for anyone harmed by Ratigan and said it is committed to making sure “every report of sexual abuse, boundary violation or misconduct is addressed thoroughly and immediately.”
Kansas City priest faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to child porn charges
KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter
Aug. 02, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Fr. Shawn Ratigan, a Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocesan priest, faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to five of 13 charges of child pornography leveled against him.
Ratigan originally pleaded not guilty to the federal charges of possession and production of child pornography.
The change in plea was made in federal court Thursday afternoon in Kansas City. The prosecution agreed to drop Ratigan's other eight charges if he pleaded guilty to the five. Each count carries between 15 and 30 years in prison, which could be served consecutively or cumulatively.
Ratigan's sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case made headlines in the fall when prosecutors in Jackson County, Mo., separately charged Bishop Robert Finn and the Kansas City diocese with individual counts of failure to report suspected child abuse, which are criminal misdemeanors, regarding their oversight of the priest.
National Catholic Reporter
Aug. 02, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Fr. Shawn Ratigan, a Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocesan priest, faces up to life in prison after pleading guilty to five of 13 charges of child pornography leveled against him.
Ratigan originally pleaded not guilty to the federal charges of possession and production of child pornography.
The change in plea was made in federal court Thursday afternoon in Kansas City. The prosecution agreed to drop Ratigan's other eight charges if he pleaded guilty to the five. Each count carries between 15 and 30 years in prison, which could be served consecutively or cumulatively.
Ratigan's sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case made headlines in the fall when prosecutors in Jackson County, Mo., separately charged Bishop Robert Finn and the Kansas City diocese with individual counts of failure to report suspected child abuse, which are criminal misdemeanors, regarding their oversight of the priest.
KC priest admits taking pornographic photos of young girls
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
By TONY RIZZO And JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
As a priest, he absolved others of their sins in the anonymity of the confessional.
This afternoon, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan stood in the very public forum of a federal courtroom and confessed to some of his own.
Ratigan, 46, pleaded guilty to using five girls to produce or attempt to produce child pornography over several years while serving as pastor to congregations in the Northland and St. Joseph.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. Prosecutors are expected to argue later for a sentence that ensures that Ratigan spends a significant portion of the rest of his life behind bars.
The Kansas City Star
By TONY RIZZO And JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
As a priest, he absolved others of their sins in the anonymity of the confessional.
This afternoon, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan stood in the very public forum of a federal courtroom and confessed to some of his own.
Ratigan, 46, pleaded guilty to using five girls to produce or attempt to produce child pornography over several years while serving as pastor to congregations in the Northland and St. Joseph.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. Prosecutors are expected to argue later for a sentence that ensures that Ratigan spends a significant portion of the rest of his life behind bars.
KC priest pleads guilty to child porn charges
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Associated Press
By BILL DRAPER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City priest has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography counts in a case that led to misdemeanor criminal charges against his bishop and diocese.
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan on Thursday pleaded guilty to five counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography. Eight other counts were dismissed.
No sentencing date has been set, but guidelines indicate he'll spend at least 15 years in prison.
The Associated Press
By BILL DRAPER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City priest has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography counts in a case that led to misdemeanor criminal charges against his bishop and diocese.
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan on Thursday pleaded guilty to five counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography. Eight other counts were dismissed.
No sentencing date has been set, but guidelines indicate he'll spend at least 15 years in prison.
Missouri: Priest to Plead Guilty in Child Pornography Case
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The New York Times
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: August 1, 2012
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a priest in Kansas City who is accused of producing pornographic photographs of young girls he knew, has filed notice that he will plead guilty in federal court on Thursday. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was to be tried this month. Diocesan employees discovered hundreds of images of girls’ genitals on a laptop computer the priest had taken in for repair in December 2010. Father Ratigan then survived a suicide attempt, and was reassigned to live in a church facility where he continued to have contact with children.
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Update August 18, 2012
Goliath-bully Bill Donohue attacks David & SNAP & JP2 Army victims: A compilation. Being Anti-Catholic is necessary for justice, protection of children, women, the poor
MISSOURI
Bilgrimage
COMMENTS:
The New York Times
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: August 1, 2012
The Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a priest in Kansas City who is accused of producing pornographic photographs of young girls he knew, has filed notice that he will plead guilty in federal court on Thursday. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was to be tried this month. Diocesan employees discovered hundreds of images of girls’ genitals on a laptop computer the priest had taken in for repair in December 2010. Father Ratigan then survived a suicide attempt, and was reassigned to live in a church facility where he continued to have contact with children.
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Update August 18, 2012
GOLIATH-BULLY Bill Donohue defending Opus Dei Golen Cow Bishop Finn - read our related article
Goliath-bully Bill Donohue attacks David & SNAP & JP2 Army victims: A compilation. Being Anti-Catholic is necessary for justice, protection of children, women, the poor
Bilgrimage
William D. Lindsey
Father Shawn Ratigan recently pled guilty in Kansas City
At Talk to Action, Frank Cocozzelli wonders how Finn's fierce defender Bill Donohue of the Catholic League can be so strangely silent now that Ratigan has pled guilty. Donohue went ballistic when the Kansas City
And now Ratigan has pled guilty, proving that Donohue was wildly wrong in his defense of Ratigan-Finn. And Donohue appears to have nothing at all to say in response. Frank writes,
Bishop Finn has many powerful friends on the Catholic Right. As a hard charging leader of what he has called "the church militant" and one of four American Opus Dei bishops, Finn is clearly one of their own. The fact that these activists want to save Finn's position as bishop at almost any cost, suggests that their goals for the Church as a bastion of religious and political authoritarianism takes precedence over everything else -- including the safety and well being of children.
Silence might be a legitimate legal consideration for some in light of Finn's pending trial. But it soon will be time for Donohue and his cohorts to announce their penance.
They could begin by apologizing to Ratigan's victims; explaining how they could have been so wrong; telling us how they intend to mend their ways; and making some kind of restitution not only to the victims of children in the care of the Church, but to all those whom they have subjected to calumny.
The fact that these activists want to save Finn's position as bishop at almost any cost, suggests that their goals for the Church as a bastion of religious and political authoritarianism takes precedence over everything else -- including the safety and well being of children.
Yes.
Wise words from a wise man about the abysmal pastoral failure of the U.S. Catholic bishops at this point in history, as they listen exclusively to the advice of their wealthy right-wing handlers and forget about the gospels.
The Finn fiasco isn't close to being over. Would you believe that he is going to use the following defense in his September trial: That the pics of the naked little girls on Ratigan's computer were not TECHNICALLY child porn because they didn't show sex acts. Yes folks. This is what his defense is going to be.
I think that however his trial ends ( either guilty or not guilty), that he will be left in place for one year. After one year he will be shipped off to some office job somewhere. They won't move him right away because they don't want to give the appearance that they are caving to pressure to get rid of him. He will leave because the diocese is bleeding money badly. People are withholding their donations. His Cathedral Church
I think that his right wing buddies know that this is a mess that Finn is not going to walk away from, unscathed. All of the Latin Masses and cappa magna's in the world cannot "pretty up" this thing.
· Bill's Catholic League Blog has been quite third rate (down from second rate) since the USCCB conference in June announced it might be looking for a spokesperson, a perhaps direct slap in the face to Timmy's BFF, Twin, Doctor Bill. I can only imagine the kind of snickering and biting small talk that goes on behind his eminence's back at an all male shindig like that. Big Timmy has been totally silent in the Press since he snuck off to Ireland just as his infamous Bishop's Pedophile Bonus Program in his Milwaukee Hampton 's in a New York Archdiocese pleasure dome comparable to Cardinal Bevilacqua's multi million dollar Beach Front property in south Jersey , currently on the so-called real estate market to pay lawyer bills in Philly.
In any case, I predict Bill Donohue's blogging days not over but little used or funded in the future. The myth of the monolith of the solidarity of the USCCB days may be numbered as each rat like Finn may have to scurry about and find his own protection from the press and or the light of justice.
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News updates for September 8, 2012
MO- SNAP's statement regarding Bishop Finn's trial
KANSAS CITY (MO)Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Dorris on September 06, 2012
There's a reason Bishop Finn's trial is happening on 24 hours notice, with few or no witnesses, before a judge, and on the day when President Obama speaks.
It's the same reason that hundreds of thousands of children across the globe have been sexually assaulted by Catholic priests, nuns, seminarians, brothers and bishops.
The reason is church officials continuing obsession with protecting their reputations above all else.
For months, Bishop Finn has been masterful with public relations - revamping policies, hiring staff, shuffling titles and pledging reform.
He's made another masterful public relations stroke today, making this proceeding shorter and quicker and more likely to prevent exposing just how complicit he and perhaps a dozen or more top Catholic officials are in the crimes of Fr. Shawn Ratigan.
MO - SNAP urges no sentencing for bishop today
KANSAS CITY (MO)Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by David Clohessy on September 06, 2012
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging a Kansas City judge and prosecutor to delay any sentencing of embattled Bishop Robert Finn today, should he plead guilty or be found guilty of concealing child sex crimes. A copy of the letter, sent this morning by fax and e mail, is below:
*****
Dear Judge John M. Torrence:
Dear Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker:
We respectfully urge that Bishop Robert Finn not be sentenced today. Essentially he is guilty of a crime involving secrecy. He ignored and refused to listen to people who should have been listened to. It would be a shame if his case was resolved in a way that also involved secrecy and the ignoring of people who should have been listened to.
Bishop Finn wants this over as soon as possible with the least amount of public scrutiny and public input. While sentencing the Bishop today serves his interests, it does not serve the public's interest. Nor does it help bring justice, healing and prevention.
Normally, weeks transpire between a guilty finding or plea and a criminal's sentencing. That's what should happen here. Bishop Finn should receive no special consideration or privileges. Doing so would only undermine public trust and faith in our justice system.
Media Statement
KANSAS CITY (MO)National Survivor Advocates Coalition
For Immediate Release 9/6/12
Contact: Kristine Ward, Kristineward@hotmail.com, 937-272-0308
We believe Bishop Finn should be jailed for failing in his duty as a mandatory reporter in the child pornography case of Shawn Ratigan.
A strong and clear message needs to be sent to protect children. Bishops above all should stand to protect the innocent and the vulnerable. Indeed to whom much is given, much is expected.
Mandatory means mandatory not delegate, look the other way, or shield the perpetrator or protect a church’s reputation.
Bishop Finn should not seek to slide off, shrug off, or duck responsibility in this case. He should set an example. When failure in duty occurs, it should be set right. Bishops should go above and beyond what is expected.
Child pornography is a serious crime. Those who know about it should stop it.
Bench trial under way for KC Catholic Bishop
KANSAS CITY (MO)KMBC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
A bench trial is under way for Kansas City Catholic Bishop Robert Finn.
The trial in Jackson County Court is a trial by judge and not by a jury. It started at 2:30 p.m. A decision in the case is expected this afternoon.
The bishop faces a misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse to the state in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who was charged with taking indecent pictures of children.
Verdicts Expected Today In Bishop Finn Case
KANSAS CITY (MO)KCUR
By Frank Morris
The highest ranking US Catholic Church official ever to face criminal charges related to child sexual abuse is set to go to trial in Jackson County Circuit Court.
The case will be decided by a judge alone, not a jury, and could be over today.
Whose responsibility to alert officials?
Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph face charges of failing to report a priest who they knew had taken hundreds of lewd pictures of children. Two misdemeanor counts. Prosecutors say Bishop Finn was responsible for alerting state officials, but didn’t do it, until months after finding out about the photographs. Finn’s lawyers say that duty fell to a lower church official. That’s a key point of contention. The priest in question has already pleaded guilty to federal charges of producing child pornography. Many related civil suits are pending.
Bench trial avoids publicity, shields witnesses
Yesterday it came to light that lawyers and prosecutors had agreed to a one-day bench trial. Giving up a jury trial allows the diocese to avoid what would likely have been a solid week of bad publicity, and from having to find a pool of unbiased jurors. It shields witnesses from having to testify in public.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests speak with the media
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
[video]
Almost a year after Bishop Robert Finn and his diocese were charged with failing to report child-abuse suspicions, they will appear in court today to lay their case before a judge and not a jury. Members of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, spoke with the media on the courthouse steps Thursday morning to discuss their feelings about possible verdicts and how they want the case to be handled. (Video by Todd Feeback - Sept. 6, 2012)
Verdict Reached In Bishop Finn Case
KANSAS CITY (MO)KCUR
By Frank Morris
UPDATE at 3:30 pm: Bishop Robert Finn: Guilty on one of two counts.
On Thursday afternoon, Judge John Torrence convicted Finn on one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspicions of child abuse. He was acquitted on another count.
The highest ranking U.S. Catholic Church official ever to face criminal charges related to child sexual abuse is set to go to trial on Thursday in Jackson County Circuit Court.
Public scrutiny is for the little people …
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Worthy Adversary
Posted by Joelle Casteix on September 5, 2012
so says Bishop Finn of Kansas City in his decision to have a bench trial instead of a jury verdict on his criminal charges of failure to report child sexual abuse.
Hopefully, the judge will give victims the justice and accountability they deserve. Let’s just hope that NY’s Cardinal Dolan doesn’t blame Fr. Shawn Ratigan’s six-year-old victims for causing such “shame” to the church.
Finn Dodges Jury Trial
KANSAS CITY (MO)Spiritual Politics
Mark Silk
Sep 6, 2012
Word out of Kansas City is that Bishop Robert Finn and his diocese will be spared the indignity of a trial by jury later this month on criminal misdemeanor charges of failing to report a suspected pedophile priest to the proper civil authorities. Instead, a judge today will hear evidence agreed upon by prosecution and defense, then render an immediate verdict.
To this old courthouse reporter it sounds like a plea bargain without the plea. A year ago, a diocese-commissioned report by a former U.S. attorney laid out the facts of the case in such a way as to leave no doubt that Finn & Co. not only failed to follow their own procedures but also ignored Missouri's reporting law in the process. The bishop will presumably claim that he didn't mean to break the law. The judge will presumably be unimpressed. I predict a fine plus probation. A little community service would be nice.
Finn bench trial starts tomorrow
KANSAS CITY (MO)KMBZ
Bishop Robert Finn goes to trial tomorrow. The Jackson County prosecutor's office announced the criminal case has been reset from it's original September 24th date.
Finn and the Kansas City-St Joseph Diocese are accused of failing to report suspected child abuse based on lewd photographs of children found on Father Shawn Ratigan's laptop. Rebecca Randles represents several of the families in a civil case. She tells KMBZ a bench trial is risky.
"Sometimes it favors the prosecution and sometimes it favors the defendant. It kind of depends on what the parties want to get out of the trial, as to whether you choose to do a jury trial or you choose to do a bench trial."
Case against bishop, diocese going to bench trial
KANSAS CITY (MO)WGEM
Posted: Sep 05, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Jackson County prosecutors and attorneys for Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph have agreed to have a judge hear their case weeks before their scheduled jury trial date.
Finn and the diocese are each charged with a misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse to the state. The charges stem from the Rev. Shawn Ratigan's child porn case, in which church officials knew about photos on the priest's computer but didn't turn him in until six months later.
Finn has argued that he was not the diocese's mandated reporter. He and the diocese also have challenged the constitutionality of the reporting law.
Kansas City bishop, diocese now to be tried by judge on Thursday
KANSAS CITY (MO)National Catholic Reporter
Sep. 05, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first Catholic bishop criminally charged in the decades-long clergy sex abuse crisis will not go before a jury, instead facing judgment from a local judge Thursday, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
The change indicates that Bishop Robert Finn, his Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocese, and county prosecutors have negotiated a set of "stipulated facts" they will present to the judge, who could rule the same day, said Mike Mansur, a spokesperson for the Jackson County, Mo., prosecutor's office, where the bishop and diocese are charged.
Finn and the diocese had been set to go to trial by jury Sept. 24 on misdemeanor charges of failing to report suspicions of child abuse for their handling of Fr. Shawn Ratigan, a Kansas City priest who pleaded guilty earlier this month to federal charges of producing and attempting to produce sexually graphic material of minor girls.
"The parties in the case have been negotiating stipulated facts and testimony that will be presented tomorrow to the judge," Mansur said. Following that presentation, he said, "we would expect then that the judge might rule in the case."
High ranking bishop admits "no credibility" on abuse
UNITED STATESSurvivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Blaine on September 05, 2012
The head of the US bishops abuse panel admits he and his colleagues have no credibility because of recent scandals in Philadelphia and Kansas City. He's half-right.
The real reason bishops' credibility is "shredded" is because decades of secrecy, recklessness and callousness have been followed by one full decade of broken promises and continued deceit. It's not because of one or two local scandals. It's because bishops pledged real reform but have delivered only superficial change. They promised, in 2002, to change their actual behavior, but have only changed their formal policies.
Just recently, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the head of the US bishops' conference, attacked a 16 year old victim on his website. Months ago, Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis filed court papers trying to get private emails of a 19 year old victim.
It's hundreds of on-going hurtful moves like these that have "shredded" bishops' credibility. It's not one or two bishops' misdeeds.
Mo- Kansas City bishop goes to trial; SNAP responds
KANSAS CITY (MO)Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Dorris on September 05, 2012
Bishop Finn is smart to 'fast track' this to limit the number of witnesses who will testify and expose his deceit and wrong doing. He knows that the more evidence that's presented, the worse he'll look.
We suspect Finn has arranged a plea deal so that the extent of his corruption will remain hidden.
Bishop Finn’s trial moved to Thursday, now without a jury
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By JUDY L. THOMAS and MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Bishop Robert W. Finn and the diocese he serves will appear in court Thursday for a bench trial on charges they failed to report suspicions of child abuse.
The unusual move, made public this afternoon in a court filing, will take a decision on their guilt out of the hands of a jury, and it avoids a lengthy trial that was to begin Sept. 24. The action also spares diocesan employees and victims and their families from testifying.
Prosecutors and lawyers representing Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph are sorting through a series of facts about the case, a spokesman for Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said.
“This means that all the parties in the case — the diocese, Bishop Finn and the prosecutor’s office — are negotiating what the facts and testimony will be,” said Mike Mansur. “Those will be presented to the judge.”
Trial switch of bishop ...
KANSAS CITY (MO)Washington Post
Trial switch of bishop guilty of protecting priest was PR move to help the church, critic says
By Diana Reese
The switch from a jury to a bench trial for Bishop Robert Finn, convicted Thursday of trying to protect a priest by failing to report suspected child abuse, was a “masterful” public relations move to resolve the
Finn, the highest-ranking Catholic cleric in the United States to face criminal charges in the church’s child sex abuse scandal, was found guilty Thursday of on one misdemeanor count of failure to report suspicions of child abuse and was acquitted on a second count. He was sentenced to two years’ probation, which will be suspended under specific conditions.
On the plus side, the joint move by the defense and prosecutors to switch the trial with just 24 hours’ notice spared victims and their families the agony of testifying at a long, drawn-out jury trial that had been predicted to go on for two weeks or longer later this month.
But David Clohessy, the St. Louis-based director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said he believed the bishop’s motive was to spare himself more humiliation.
“This was masterful public relations by a desperate bishop,” Clohessy told me. “It was clearly designed to minimize public input and public awareness.”
Verdict Could Come Today in Charges Against Bishop and Diocese
KANSAS CITY (MO)Fox 4
September 6, 2012, by Michelle Pekarsky
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A decision could come Thursday on the charges against Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn and his diocese that they failed to report to authorities their suspicions of child pornography.
Finn and the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph face two misdemeanor counts of failing to report suspicions of child abuse. Prosecutors say they found lewd photographs of children on Shawn Ratigan’s laptop computer, but didn’t report it for six months.
On Wednesday, Finn and the diocese agreed to allow a judge to decide their guilt or innocence rather than a jury, which will avoid a lengthy and public trial. It was scheduled to begin Sept. 24.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Jackson County Circuit Court
Jackson County Circuit Court
September 6, 2012
By Bishop Robert W. Finn and Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker
[See also the 5/19/10 memo to the diocese by Principal Julie Hess; the 5/19/11 Probable Cause Statement of Detective Maggie McGuire; the 8/31/11 Graves report; the complaints of Jane Doe 173, Jane Doe 49, and Jane Doe 186; the 8/9/11 indictment of Rev. Shawn Ratigan; the 10/14/11 indictment of Bishop Finn and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph; and Bishop Finn's Terms of Probation.]
Robert W. Finn, and the State of Missouri, hereby stipulate that the following evidence would be adduced through witnesses who would be called to testify at trial:
1. The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph (hereafter Diocese) is a benevolent corporation organized under the laws of the State of Missouri. At all times relevant to this case it was a corporation in good standing with the State of Missouri. The headquarters for the Diocese has been located in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri at all times relevant to this case.
2. Robert Finn is a priest of the Roman Catholic Church. In 2005, he became the Bishop of the Diocese and as such is the head priest and the head of the Diocese. Finn is the ultimate authority at the Diocese and all employees of the Diocese report to him. Finn is a mandated reporter.
3. Finn acknowledges that both the "Code of Ethical Standards for Priests, Pastoral Administrators, Deacons and Diocesan Officers" and the Diocesan "Policy regarding Sexual Misconduct" require that all church leaders follow proper reporting requirements of suspected abuse of children under Missouri law as well as reporting to the Vicar General and to the appropriate Diocesan office responsible for the ministry of the alleged abuser.
4. Robert Murphy is a priest of the Roman Catholic Church and an employee of the Diocese. In 2005, Robert Murphy was appointed by Finn to the position of Vicar General and given the title of Monsignor. Murphy is a mandated reporter.
5. On February 21, 2007, Finn drafted "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart - A Pastoral Letter on the Dignity of the Human Person and the Dangers of Pornography."
6. On August 21, 2008, Finn signed a Settlement Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding. The Settlement Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding includes Non-Monetary Commitments, including "the Diocese will continue to follow mandatory state reporting requirements in Virtus guidelines in reporting the suspected sexual abuse of minors to law enforcement to child protection authorities."
7. On May 19, 2010, Julie Hess, Principal of St. Patrick's School, drafted a memo to be presented to Murphy outlining concerns expressed by parents and staff of St. Patrick's School regarding "boundary issues" between Ratigan and children. Hess notified Murphy of her concerns because "[p]arents, staff members, and parishioners are discussing his actions and whether or not he may be a child molester.
Mo. bishop's bench trial averts longer jury trial
KANSAS CITY (MO)Arizona Daily Sun
Associated Press
A judge's conviction of the first American bishop criminally charged in the clergy sex abuse scandal spared young victims in the case from a longer, emotional jury trial and church leaders from embarrassing evidence, attorneys said.
The bench trial on misdemeanor charges of failing to report suspected child abuse, while still damaging to Bishop Robert Finn, wrapped up in a day Thursday, and the split verdict came in about an hour. Finn, the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official charged with shielding an abusive priest, was convicted of one count and acquitted on a second.
Prosecutors dropped similar misdemeanor charges against the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and the judge is expected to sign off Friday on the dismissed counts.
The charges stemmed from allegations that Finn and the diocese failed to report to authorities that pornographic images of children had been found on the laptop computer of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan.
========================
GUILTY VERDICT
September 8, 2012
UNITED STATES
The Guardian (United Kingdom)
The Guardian (United Kingdom)
By Matt Williams and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 8 September 2012
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 8 September 2012
Pressure is mounting on the highest ranking US catholic official yet to be convicted of covering up clerical child sex abuse to resign from the church.
Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty Friday of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to authorities, prompting calls for him to step down or be booted from office.
Advocates for the victims of clerical sex abuse have challenged the Vatican directly, calling on the Pope to step in and dismiss Finn from his position as bishop of the diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph.
But despite a growing campaign to force his ouster, church officials have maintained that he isn't going anywhere – despite the conviction.
"The bishop looks forward to continuing to perform his duties, including carrying out the important obligations placed on him by the court," diocese spokesman Jack Smith said in a statement.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
U.S. Catholic
U.S. Catholic
Saturday, September 8, 2012
By Bryan Cones
Today in The New York Times, Laurie Goodstein provides both an excellent summary of the evidence that led to the conviction of Kansas City, Missouri Bishop Robert Finn, noting that he is the first bishop in the U.S. to be held "accountable" for his failure to report a credible allegation of abuse to authorities. That accountablility, limited to a short, suspended term of probation, will leave him with a clean record when it's completed.
I'm not sure that's "accountability" for a failure of this magnitude--and if you doubt Finn's full knowledge of Father Shawn Ratigan's behavior, just read Goodstein's account of the submitted testimony that both prosectuion and defense agreed to. What is still lacking is Finn's canonical accountability. In short, we must wonder why the man is still the bishop of Kansas City.
As canonist and former National Lay Review Board member Nicholas Cafardi points out, both in his interview with U.S. Catholic and in comments to Religion News Service's David Gibson, there is ample evidence that Finn violated canon law, specifically canon 1389, which provides for removal of a bishop for dereliction of duty. (Recall, for example, that even after Finn had assigned Ratigan to a women's monastery as chaplain, he still allowed Ratigan to preside at youth event liturgies connected to the monastery.) Since the norms on sex abuse adopted by the U.S. bishops in 2002 have the force of canon law, and Finn clearly violated them, I see no reason why he shouldn't be removed on those grounds, as I argued in my August 2010 column.
US bishop guilty of failing to report sex abuse
KANSAS CITY (MO)AFP
By Mira Oberman (AFP)
CHICAGO — Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty of failing to report suspected child abuse, becoming the highest-ranking US Catholic Church official convicted in clergy sex abuse scandals.
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence issued the ruling in Kansas City, Missouri after Finn, 59, declined to fight the charges and instead agreed to a stipulated finding of facts in the case.
Finn will not serve jail time or pay a fine for the misdemeanor charge. He was instead placed on probation, which requires him to ensure the diocese trains staff and clergy to detect and report abuse, as well as create a $10,000 fund for counseling abuse victims.
The ruling comes weeks after Monsignor William Lynn was sentenced to up to six years in prison for covering up child sex abuse by priests in Philadelphia.
Bishop Finn is found guilty of failing to report child abuse suspicions
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
[stipulation of testimony]
[probation conditons]
By MARK MORRIS and JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
Once relatively anonymous in the Roman Catholic world, the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph on Thursday made an unwelcome piece of history for the 2,000-year-old institution.
A judge convicted the diocese’s bishop and spiritual pastor, Robert W. Finn, of failing to report child abuse suspicions, making him the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric convicted in the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
Finn, 59, was acquitted of one other misdemeanor count of failing to report. And with Finn’s conviction, Jackson County prosecutors dismissed two similar counts that had been pending against the diocese.
The verdicts came after a short nonjury trial in Jackson County Circuit Court. Judge John Torrence immediately sentenced Finn to two years’ of probation, then suspended the imposition of the sentence. That means that if Finn finishes the probation without incident and completes nine steps as part of his sentence, the bishop’s criminal record will be expunged.
Bishop Finn escapes tough punishment; Catholic Church left hurting
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Star Editorial
The criminal conviction of Bishop Robert Finn sends a clear message to the Catholic Church that those responsible for the safety of children will be held accountable, no matter how high their post in the hierarchy. Yet at the same time, the sentence on one count of failing to report suspicion of child abuse, is disconcertingly light: Two years of unsupervised probation.
Nevertheless, Finn has the unwanted distinction of becoming the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official to be convicted in the long-running abuse scandals. Finn said he was “truly sorry for the hurt these events have caused.”
Yet perhaps “these events” could have been avoided had the diocese strictly followed the terms of a settlement it signed four years ago. In that case, the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph put to rest a $10 million lawsuit involving several dozen people who said they had been sexually abused by priests.
The settlement included a series of pledges by the diocese to institute tougher policies covering priests and those in contact with children. Priests and other adults were warned: Any contact with children beyond a handshake “should only occur under appropriate public circumstances.” Significantly, the diocese vowed to strictly follow state law covering the reporting of child abuse.
MO - SNAP sends letter to Pope Benedict
UNITED STATESSurvivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by David Clohessy on September 07, 2012
Below is a copy of a letter that leaders of SNAP are sending to Pope Benedict, urging him to step in and punish Bishop Finn following his conviction yesterday on child endangerment charges.
*****
Dear Pope Benedict XVI;
Yesterday, Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty of endangering kids by refusing to report suspected child sex crimes to police.
He and his lawyers admitted, in a written court filing, that several top diocesan staff saw, knew about or suspected that Fr. Shawn Ratigan had or created child porn photos of young girls at the parishes where he worked.
The secular justice system has spoken. Now you must act.
When wrongdoing is ignored, wrongdoing is repeated. When top Catholic officials refuse to punish complicit bishops, complicity is encouraged.
When you speak of the horrors of child sexual abuse, your words ring hollow because you continue to let pedophile priests and corrupt bishops remain in the church and in positions of power.
But now, for the first time in US history, you have a diocese headed by a proven criminal. You must act if you are serious about making the church safer for children, discouraging future cover ups in child sex cases, and ameliorating the wounds of tens of thousands of suffering adult victims and millions of betrayed parishioners.
We are formally urging you to demote or discipline Bishop Finn. Doing so would be an act of justice towards him and mercy towards his flock.
And doing so would strongly deter other church officials from acting recklessly, callously and deceitfully in other child sex cases.
Unless you take firm steps to show strong disapproval of Bishop Finn's crimes – through actions, not words - similar crimes will continue to be repeated by others in the Catholic hierarchy, as they have happened for centuries and still happen today.
Sincerely,
David Clohessy, SNAP Director
Barbara Dorris, SNAP Outreach Director
Finn’s day in court is scant solace for a hurting church
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By MARY SANCHEZ
The Kansas City Star
Courtroom benches are virtually identical to church pews.
Eerily appropriate then that it was from such wooden benches on Thursday that a crowd heard a Jackson County judge declare Bishop Robert Finn guilty. The diocese’s highest figure failed to protect children. And his rank didn’t allow him to get away with it. Not completely.
The court actions were a procedural, unsatisfactory cap to the most painful saga that has ever faced local Catholics. And be clear, they are among the damaged. Their church, the place where they tithed and placed their faith and the care of their children, has been symbolically on trial through the decades-long scandals. Finn is just the figurehead who finally had to face the legal system. That’s the scope of the passion behind the proceedings.
But within the confines of the law, Finn’s guilt on one count only makes sense. The charges were never more than misdemeanors. And even though they were powerful by virtue of being leveled against a sitting bishop, there were limits.
Nothing that could feasibly happen in that courtroom would have ever satisfied the church’s strident critics or its most faithful supporters. The bench trial route that the Jackson County prosecutor took was judicious, expedient and considerate to the families of the victims of Shawn Ratigan. He sits in federal prison, convicted of pornography charges. Had Finn’s case gone to trial, parents faced the possibility of having to appear in court and identify their children in Ratigan’s pornographic photos.
A time line in the Bishop Finn case
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
A condensed version of evidence that Bishop Robert W. Finn and prosecutors agreed to in Thursday’s court action:
May 19, 2010: Julie Hess, principal of St. Patrick’s School, meets with Vicar General Robert Murphy about concerns of parents and school staff over “boundary issues” between the Rev. Shawn Ratigan and children. Murphy that month informs Finn about the concerns.
June 2010: Finn follows up on the issue with Ratigan, Finn later testifies.
Dec. 16, 2010: A computer technician examines a laptop owned by Ratigan and observes alarming pictures of children. He takes the laptop to a parish official, who calls Murphy and takes him the laptop. Before receiving the laptop, Murphy calls a Kansas City police captain, describing a single photograph of a naked child in a nonsexual pose. The captain says that was not likely considered child pornography.
Where does the Finn verdict leave the church and the faithful?
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By JUDY L. THOMAS and LYNN HORSLEY
The Kansas City Star
In finding Bishop Robert Finn guilty on Thursday, Jackson County Circuit Judge John Torrence said he hoped his verdict could bring to a close a case that has caused upheaval in the diocese for nearly a year.
Some are ready to move ahead, but not everyone.
As the guilty verdict of Kansas City’s Catholic bishop resonated around the world Thursday, strong reaction flooded in from both supporters and critics of Finn. It showed a division that opened with pornography charges against a priest, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, in 2011.
Some called for Finn to resign.
“I think a bishop with a criminal conviction has impaired his ability to function as bishop and should consider for the good of his diocese allowing someone else to lead it,” said Nicholas Cafardi, a law professor at Duquesne University and former chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Youth. “This destroys his credibility and seriously impairs his ability to lead the diocese.”
Others, however, had sympathy for Finn.
Bishop Finn, tick-tock…
KANSAS CITY (MO)dotCommonweal
[Stipulation of Testimony - via BishopAccountability.org]
September 8, 2012
Posted by David Gibson
In the New York Times, Laurie Goodstein has the chronology and narrative of the Father Ratigan case in Missouri that led to Thursday’s conviction of Bishop Robert Finn for failing to report a suspect abuser. Most of the facts have been public, but set out like this they tell a devastating story that sounds like it was discovered in a time capsule buried pre-2002.
But it was in December 2010 that Finn and diocesan officials were told about suspected child porn on Ratigan’s laptop — and that news came after they had received repeated warnings about his behavior. Following the pornography discovery, Ratigan attempted suicide. And yet…
He [Ratigan] left messages apologizing to his family for “the harm caused to the children or you.” When he survived, he was sent first to a hospital, and then to Dr. Rick Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist in Pennsylvania selected by Bishop Finn. The bishop testified that he was told by the psychiatrist that Father Ratigan was not a risk to children, and had been falsely accused by the school principal.
During this period, two women on staff in diocesan headquarters were urging their superiors to turn Father Ratigan in. Rebecca Summers, then the director of communications, told Monsignor Murphy to call the police, according to the testimony. And Julie Creech, the technology employee, said in a deposition in a related civil suit that she went to see Bishop Finn in his office to make sure he understood what she had seen on the laptop. ...
I’m not sure how the bishops can regain their credibility unless Bishop Finn resigns, but in my RNS story on Finn’s fate his spokesman says the bishop intends to stay. The Vatican declined to comment, and Bishop Conlon, the USCCB point man on abuse, reiterated the hierarchy’s commitment to following the civil and canon law requirements that Finn violated.
My sense is that the powers that be are waiting to see how the public and diocese will react. Maybe they will act quickly. Maybe they hope it’ll blow over sufficiently to allow Finn to stay on, or to be “promoted” some place in a couple years to save face.
Catholic bishop convicted of shielding priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)CNN
By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) -- A judge in Kansas City, Missouri, has sentenced a Catholic bishop to two years on probation for failure to report suspected child abuse, officials said Thursday.
Bishop Robert W. Finn, 59, is the highest-ranking Catholic official to be convicted during the church's long sexual abuse scandal.
Finn won't serve any jail time or pay a fine, the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's office said. The misdemeanor charge had a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of as much as $1,000.
Finn’s probation
KANSAS CITY (MO)Wichita Eagle
Terms of Bishop Robert Finn’s two-year probation include:
• Ensuring “mandated reporter” training for clergy and diocesan administrative staff, and instructing all teachers, counselors, clergy and other diocesan agents to report suspected crimes against children, as required by state law.
• Instituting, with FBI help, a program to train clergy and administrative staff on what constitutes child pornography and child obscenity, and how to identify signs that a child is being groomed for it.
• Establishing a $10,000 fund to provide counseling services to abuse victims.
Kansas City bishop found guilty in priest child abuse case
KANSAS CITY (MO)CNBC
(Reuters) - The Catholic Bishop who leads a large Kansas City diocese was found guilty Thursday for failing to alert authorities to a trove of child pornography found on a priest's computer, becoming the highest-ranking U.S. clergyman convicted in the Roman Catholic Church child sex abuse scandal.
Bishop Robert Finn, 59, was found guilty of one misdemeanor charge of failing to report the wayward priest, Father Shawn Ratigan, to authorities. Ratigan pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges last month and admitted to taking lewd photographs of many young girls.
Finn was acquitted of a second misdemeanor charge.
"I hope this begins a new chapter in the book in this community and other communities and that, truly, children will no longer be subjected to this kind of treatment," said Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence, who found Finn guilty.
Torrence sentenced Finn to two years of probation and suspended a sentence that could have amounted to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. ...
"Only jail time would have made a real difference here and deterred future horrific cover-ups, anything less will not produce any meaningful reform," said Barbara Dorris, outreach director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Bishop Found Guilty in 1 of 2 Charges
KANSAS CITY (MO)Fox 4
September 6, 2012, by Michelle Pekarsky and John Pepitone
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty of one misdemeanor charge and not guilty of another in a Jackson County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Finn was found guilty of failure to report suspected child abuse and not guilty on another failure to report child abuse charge by Judge John Torrence in connection to the case of former Northland Priest Shawn Ratigan. ...
On Thursday evening, Finn released the following statement through the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese:
I am pleased and grateful that the prosecutor and court have allowed this matter to be concluded. The protection of children is paramount. Sexual abuse of any kind will not be tolerated. Diocesan process and procedures in place at the time did not adequately identify the necessity to inform the Children’s Division of Shawn Ratigan’s behavior in a more timely manner. For this I am truly sorry.
I have provided for the establishment of an independent Ombudsman to report any known or suspected abuse by any clergy, employee or volunteer of the Diocese as required by law. I also have established the Diocesan Director of the Office of Child & Youth Protection to develop and implement any policies in this regard. I will pledge, both personally and in my capacity as Bishop, to take every reasonable step to protect children from any abuse or misconduct perpetrated by clergy, diocesan employees or volunteers. I regret and am sorry for the hurt that these events have caused. I appreciate this opportunity to express my commitment and that of the Diocese to continue working cooperatively with law enforcement authorities and the community to resolve these issues.
Kansas City Bishop Convicted of Shielding Pedophile Priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)The New York Times
By JOHN ELIGON and LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: September 6, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bishop Robert W. Finn was found guilty on Thursday on one count of failing to report suspected child abuse, becoming the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States in the decades-long sexual abuse scandals to be convicted of shielding a pedophile priest.
In an abruptly announced bench trial that lasted a little over an hour, Judge John M. Torrence of Jackson County Circuit Court found Bishop Finn guilty of one misdemeanor charge, and not guilty on a second. The charges each carried a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, but Bishop Finn received a sentence of two years of court-supervised probation. ...
The prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, told the judge in opening arguments that Bishop Finn had been given ample warning that Father Ratigan was a danger to children. She said that the priest had even admitted to Bishop Finn that he had “a pornography problem.”
The prosecutor said, “Defendant Finn is the ultimate authority. The buck does stop with him.”
In May 2010, the principal of the Catholic elementary school where Father Ratigan was working sent a letter to the diocese raising alarm about him. The letter said he had put a girl on his lap on a bus ride, encouraged children to reach into his pockets for candy and parents discovered girls’s underwear in a planter outside his house. Bishop Finn has said he did not read the letter until a year later.
Bishop Finn verdict: Guilty
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By MARK MORRIS and JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn today became the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official convicted during the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
Following a short non-jury trial, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence convicted Finn of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspicions of child abuse but acquitted him on another count of failing to report. ...
Lawyers limited the case to a narrow range of facts, which were expressed in 69 paragraphs submitted to Torrence at the hearing.
Torrence listened to about 25 minutes of summary from attorneys then took a half-hour break before finding Finn guilty of one count based on those facts.
Those facts included an acknowledgement from Finn that he is a mandated child abuse reporter under Missouri law. The stipulation also contained a long recitation of the now-familiar facts of the case with a few new insights.
Those included:
• A June 2010 conversation between Finn and Ratigan, in which the bishop told his priest that “we have to take this seriously,” after a Northland Catholic school principal complained to the chancery that the priest was behaving inappropriately around school children.
• A chancery computer manager’s determination in December 2010 that only four or five of the hundreds of lewd photos found on Ratigan’s laptop had been downloaded from the Internet. The rest appeared to have been taken with a personal camera.
• Ratigan’s denial, while hospitalized for a suicide attempt, that he ever had sexual contact with children.
• A statement from a Pennsylvania mental health professional, who found that Ratigan was not a risk to children, which appeared to support the priest’s contention that he was the victim of mistreatment by a school official who complained about his conduct around children.
Finn verdict protects the powerful, forgets the children
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
Yael T. Abouhalkah
The conviction of the highest ranking Catholic official in the Kansas City area Thursday is not a cause for any rejoicing. At all.
Bishop Robert Finn got off with a slap on the wrist - even after being found guilty of one count of failing to report suspicions of child abuse.
And the children he was expected - no, demanded - to protect can only watch the bishop walk away with two years of probation.
The legal system tried but ultimately failed to send the message that it would work aggressively to protect children from this outrage.
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence actually suspended the probation sentence.
Missouri Bishop Guilty of Shielding Abusive Priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)Wall Street Journal
Associated Press
A Missouri bishop who became the nation's highest-ranking Catholic official charged with shielding an abusive priest was found guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse.
Bishop Robert Finn was acquitted on a second count. He received two years of probation, but that sentence was suspended. He is required to have mandatory abuse reporter training.
Bishop Finn argued he shouldn't face charges because he wasn't the diocese's mandated reporter under the law. At the time, the responsibility rested mainly with Vicar General Robert Murphy. ...
Attorneys for both Bishop Finn and the diocese also have argued that the state's law is unconstitutional.
A computer technician found child pornography on Rev. Ratigan's laptop in December 2010 and reported it to the diocese. Of the hundreds of images found, many focused on the crotch areas of clothed children and one series showed the exposed genitals of a girl believed to be 3 or 4 years old.
Kansas City lawsuits cost diocese $1.4 million in legal fees
KANSAS CITY (MO)National Catholic Reporter
Sep. 06, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
Thursday's trial of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., Bishop Robert Finn comes as a new report commissioned by his diocese estimates the costs of its legal fees in the cases to total about $1.4 million.
That report, which appears in the issue of The Catholic Key, the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocesan newspaper, that was printed Wednesday, also estimates that the costs paid by the diocesan insurance program on all issues dealing with sex abuse in the diocese in the past year totaled almost $4 million.
On Aug. 2, former Kansas City priest Shawn Ratigan pleaded guilty to five of 13 federal counts of producing and attempting to produce sexually graphic material of minor girls. He has yet to be sentenced, but each charge separately carries between 15 and 30 years in prison.
Finn and the diocese stood trial Thursday on two charges each of failing to report suspected child abuse, a misdemeanor. Finn was found guilty of one charge and given a suspended two years' probation. A motion for the dismissal of the diocese's charges will be decided upon Friday.
Bishop Finn found guilty on criminal charge
KANSAS CITY (MO)Catholic Culture
CWN - September 06, 2012
Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City, Missouri, has been found guilty of failing to report evidence of sexual abuse by a priest in his diocese.
After a brief bench trial, Judge John Torrence pronounced the bishop guilty on one of two misdemeanor charges, acquitting him of the other charge. Bishop Finn thus becomes the first American bishop convicted of a criminal offense for mishandling sex-abuse complaints.
Judge Torrence sentenced Bishop Finn to two years of probation, suspending thee sentence. If the bishop completes his probation, his conviction will be stricken from the record.
Judge Finds Bishop Finn Guilty on 1 Count of Failing to Report Abuse
KANSAS CITY (MO)St. Joe Channel
By: Andy House, Alex Hassel
Updated: September 6, 2012
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) A verdict comes against the highest ranking Catholic official ever to face criminal charges in a child sex abuse case.
A judge found Bishop Robert Finn guilty in a sex abuse case involving a former St. Joseph priest.
Bishop Finn was convicted of one misdemeanor charge for failing to report suspected child abuse. He was found not guilty on a second charge.
A verdict came during a one day trial Thursday in Kansas City.
Finn found guilty
KANSAS CITY (MO)KMBC
Bishop Robert Finn has been found guilty of 1 misdemeanor count of failure to report suspected child abuse in Jackson County Court Thursday afternoon.
Finn, speaking to the court this afternoon, apologized.
He is the first sitting US Bishop to be criminally charged in the child sex abuse scandal that's rocked the Catholic Church for decades.
Defense statement following bench trial of western Missouri Catholic bishop
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Republic
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
September 06, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Text of statement by lawyers for Bishop Robert Finn of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph after a Missouri judge on Thursday found him guilty of one count and not guilty of another count of failing to report suspected child abuse, and a county prosecutor moved to drop the same charges against the diocese:
"Bishop Finn is grateful that the court and prosecutor have allowed this matter to be resolved. This could have been a lengthy and emotionally difficult trial for all persons affected. The bench trial, with a stipulation of testimony, has avoided the need for live testimony from diocesan employees, parishioners and others. This process has also resulted in the charges against the Diocese being dismissed by the state. The diocesan process and procedures as previously existed failed to adequately identify the necessity to inform the Children's Division of Shawn Ratigan's behavior in a more timely manner. For this, the bishop is truly sorry."
Bishops' Point Person for Abuse Says Credibility of Catholic Leaders "Shredded," and Finn Goes to Trial
UNITED STATESBilgrimage
William D. Lindsey
According to Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, chair of the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference's Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, the credibility of the Catholic bishops vis-a-vis the abuse crisis has been "shredded." And the Catholic church now finds itself at a moment akin to the Reformation moment, in which "the episcopacy, the regular clergy, even the papacy were discredited."
And how can things be otherwise, I wonder, when it has been revealed that the president of the USCCB, His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, knew of and then lied about payoffs to pedophile priests in his former diocese of Milwaukee? And when, instead of coming clean and facing questions from the public after his lie was exposed, he chose the equally shameful path of shifting blame to the media and abuse survivors?
And when he then walked away from the media's questions and hasn't addressed them since? Though that hasn't stopped him from attending the conventions of both major political parties in the capacity of a kingmaker, one mediating between the two sectors of power as if he's a medieval prince of the church anointing monarchs.
Shtick ill-befitting a moral leader whose own moral credibility is in shreds--or so it seems to me as a very little person living in a faraway, powerless little place, and observing the doings of princes and kingmakers from afar. Because I'm one of those little people in faraway, powerless places who was taught--over and over again--by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and ministers that telling a lie brings shame to myself and my family and is immoral in the extreme, I have to admit that I just don't get the posturing. The chutzpah. The failure to address one's loss of moral credibility even as one asserts the right to make or break kings!
UPDATE: Finn found guilty on one charge of failure to report
KANSAS CITY (MO)National Catholic Reporter
Sep. 06, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
The first Catholic bishop criminally charged in the decades-long clergy sex abuse crisis was found guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor count of failing to report a priest known to be in possession of lewd images of children.
Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocese was sentenced to serve two years unsupervised probation, which was then suspended.
Finn and his Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocese went to trial today before Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court Judge John Torrence. Each charge against Finn carried a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
When the trial started at 2:30 p.m., Torrence severed the parties, allowing Finn and the diocese to be charged separately. Torrence began with Finn's trial, and testimony ended at about 2:50 p.m. Torrence handed down the verdict at 3:30 p.m.
Jean Peters Baker presented evidence on behalf of the prosecutors, arguing that there was a period of time between May 2010 and May 2011 that Finn should have become aware of a problem with former Kansas City priest Shawn Ratigan, who pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges in August.
Bishop Finn found guilty of failing to report abusive priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)KCTV
[with video]
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty of failing to report an abusive priest to state authorities.
A Jackson County judge acquitted him of a second similar charge. The charges involved different time frames.
Finn apologized for his actions in court following the judge's decision. He was placed on probation.
"I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt these events have caused," Finn said.
Judge John Torrence issued the verdict after hearing opening remarks from Finn's attorneys and prosecutors and reviewing documents.
"I hope this ends a chapter of history that has been a long and dark chapter," Torrence said.
Finn was the top-ranking Catholic official in the U.S. to be charged with shielding an abusive priest. The case came to a surprising end after both sides agreed to waive a trial by jury and allow Torrence to reach a decision
Mo. bishop convicted for failing to report priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Associated Press
By BILL DRAPER, Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has found a Missouri bishop guilty of one misdemeanor count for failing to report suspected child abuse by a priest, and acquitted him on a second count.
Robert Finn is the nation's highest-ranking Catholic official charged with shielding an abusive priest. He received two years of probation, but that sentence was suspended.
The charges stem from the child pornography case of Rev. Shawn Ratigan, in which Finn and other church officials knew about photos on the priest's computer but didn't turn him in for six months.
Ratigan pleaded guilty in August to child porn charges.
Bishop Finn verdict: Guilty on one count
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By MARK MORRIS and JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn today became the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official convicted during the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
Following a short non-jury trial, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge John Torrence convicted Finn of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspicions of child abuse but acquitted him on another count. Though the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph also was to be tried Thursday on the same two counts, Torrence severed the cases shortly after the proceedings opened.
The charges stemmed from the church’s handling of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, on whose laptop a diocesan vendor found hundreds of lewd photos of young girls in December 2010. Finn’s second-in-command at the diocese, Monsignor Robert Murphy, did not report the photographs to police for five months.
Finn is the first bishop in the country, and is believed to be one of only two bishops in the world, convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse. The other case happened in France.
Justice Ventures Up the Church Hierarchy
KANSAS CITY (MO)The New York Times
Editorial
The verdict was long overdue in the pedophile priest scandal, but a Roman Catholic bishop has become the highest-ranking church official found criminally guilty of shielding a priest known to be a threat to children. In a brief nonjury trial, Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., was pronounced guilty on Thursday and sentenced to two years of probation for failing to alert law enforcement authorities about a predatory priest he knew was addicted to taking lewd photos of schoolgirls.
The conviction was evidence of the growing resolve of secular authorities, however belated, to venture up the hierarchical ladder in their search for accountability. The scandal has led to the dismissal and criminal investigation of more than 700 priests, even as their superiors have been spared — despite years of diocesan scheming to buy off victims and rotate rogue priests to new parishes.
Bishop Finn’s conviction was hardly encouraging for the cause of reform, however, since it involved very recent misdeeds — years after church leaders promised tough new policies aimed at preventing cover-ups.
Debate: Bishop Finn’s Future As Church Leader
KANSAS CITY (MO)Fox 4
[with video]
September 7, 2012, by Michelle Pekarsky and John Pepitone
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There are renewed calls for Catholic Bishop Robert Finn to step down after his conviction for failing to report child abuse.
“It matters to us less what sanctions the pope issues, it matters to us more that the pope take some action against a proven criminal,” said David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Some Catholics are divided over who should be leading the diocese in Kansas City-St. Joseph now that Bishop Finn is the highest ranking Catholic leader ever to be convicted as part of the church’s child sex abuse scandal.
Defenders of the bishop say they are relieved the criminal case against him is finally over. But opponents say they will continue to push for change in the Catholic church as victims of abuse move forward with civil suits against the diocese.
Bishop Finn’s apology in court wasn’t enough for families who say their children were victims of sexual abuse at the hands of one Finn’s priests, Father Shawn Ratigan. It was Bishop Finn’s failure to report suspicions about Ratigan in a timely manner that led to his criminal conviction.
Defying Canon and Civil Laws, Church Failed to Stop a Priest
KANSAS CITY (MO)The New York Times
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: September 7, 2012
On the surface, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan was just the kind of dynamic new priest that any Roman Catholic bishop would have been happy to put in a parish. He rode a motorcycle, organized summer mission trips to Guatemala and joined Bishop Robert W. Finn and dozens of students on a bus trek to Washington for the “March for Life,” a big annual anti-abortion rally.
But in December 2010, Bishop Finn got some disturbing news: Father Ratigan had just tried to commit suicide by running his motorcycle in a closed garage. The day before, a computer technician had discovered sexually explicit photographs of young girls on Father Ratigan’s laptop, including one of a toddler with her diaper pulled away to expose her genitals.
The decisions that Bishop Finn and his second-in-command in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Msgr. Robert Murphy, made about Father Ratigan over the next five months ultimately led to the conviction of the bishop in circuit court on Thursday on one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse. It was the first time a Catholic bishop in the United States had been held accountable in criminal court in the nearly three decades since the priest sexual abuse scandals first came to light.
Both Bishop Finn and Monsignor Murphy, as ministers, were required by law to report suspected child abuse to the civil authorities. But they were also required to report under policies that the American bishops put in place 10 years ago at the height of the scandal — policies that now hold the force of canon law.
September 7, 2012
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
BILL DRAPER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Associated Press
Published Friday, Sep. 07 2012, 7:24 PM EDT
Calls for Bishop Robert Finn's resignation intensified the day after he became the highest-ranking U.S. church official to be convicted of a crime related to a child sexual abuse scandal.
Calls for Bishop Robert Finn's resignation intensified the day after he became the highest-ranking U.S. church official to be convicted of a crime related to a child sexual abuse scandal.
Soon after a Missouri judge found Bishop Finn guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to the state, unhappy Roman Catholics began discussing ways to get the bishop out of office on a Facebook page titled “Bishop Finn Must Go.”
Among the posts was one that listed contact information for the Vatican and urged parishioners to voice their displeasure with Bishop Finn at the highest levels. Pope Benedict XVI alone has authority over bishops. Through the decades-long abuse scandal, only one U.S. bishop has stepped down over his failures to stop abusive clergy: Cardinal Bernard Law – who, in 2002, resigned as head of the Archdiocese of Boston.
Among the posts was one that listed contact information for the Vatican and urged parishioners to voice their displeasure with Bishop Finn at the highest levels. Pope Benedict XVI alone has authority over bishops. Through the decades-long abuse scandal, only one U.S. bishop has stepped down over his failures to stop abusive clergy: Cardinal Bernard Law – who, in 2002, resigned as head of the Archdiocese of Boston.
US Catholic bishop found guilty of not reporting abuse
UNITED STATESIrish Times
THE FIRST American bishop criminally charged in the US clerical sex abuse scandal was found guilty of a misdemeanour count of failing to report suspected child abuse, a conviction described as “historic” by campaigners.
Catholic Bishop Robert Finn was acquitted on a second count.
He received two years of probation but that sentence was suspended and will be wiped from his record if he adheres to conditions that include mandatory abuse reporting training, setting aside $10,000 (€7,800) in diocese money for abuse victim counselling, and instructing all diocesan agents to report suspected criminal activity involving minors.
Bishop's conviction intensifies calls to step down
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Olympian
By BILL DRAPER | Associated Press • Published September 07, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Calls for Bishop Robert Finn's resignation intensified a day after he became the highest-ranking U.S. church official to be convicted of a crime related to the child sexual abuse scandal.
Soon after a Missouri judge found Finn guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to the state, unhappy Roman Catholics began discussing ways to get the bishop out of office on a Facebook page titled "Bishop Finn Must Go."
Among the posts was one that listed contact information for the Vatican and urged parishioners to voice their displeasure with Finn at the highest levels. Pope Benedict XVI alone has authority over bishops. Through the decades-long abuse scandal, only one U.S. bishop has stepped down over his failures to stop abusive clergy: Cardinal Bernard Law, who in 2002 resigned as head of the Archdiocese of Boston.
Jackson County Judge John M. Torrence sentenced Finn to two years of supervised probation. If the bishop abides by a set of stipulations from the judge, the conviction will be wiped from his record in 2014.
"Now that our justice system says he's guilty, he has lost his ability to lead our diocese," Kansas City Catholic Patricia Rotert said Friday. "He's lost his credibility. There is turmoil and angst around him and I don't think he can bring people together." ...
"I said for years that we wouldn't be in the mess we were in today if about 30 bishops had said 'I made a mistake, I'm sorry, I take full responsibility and I resign,'" said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. "I think we're at a state in the life of the church when a bishop is convicted of a misdemeanor, found guilty of not doing what he was supposed to do, I think he should resign for the good of the diocese and the good of the church."
Support for Finn's resignation is far from unanimous. Some say they agree he made a mistake, but it's not one that should force him out, especially with even more stringent safeguards in place to protect children.
Bishop guilty of shielding paedophile
UNITED STATESThe Age (Australia)
An American Roman Catholic bishop was found guilty on one count of failing to report suspected child abuse, becoming the first US bishop in the decades-long sexual abuse scandals to be convicted of shielding a paedophile priest.
In a hastily announced bench trial in Kansas City that lasted a little over an hour, a judge found the bishop, Robert Finn, guilty on one misdemeanour charge and not guilty on a second charge, for failing to report a priest who had taken hundreds of pornographic pictures of young girls. The counts each carried a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $US1000 fine, but Finn was sentenced to two years' court-supervised probation.
The verdict is a watershed moment in the priest sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the church since the 1980s. Bishops, eager to turn the page on this era, put in place extensive abuse prevention policies, including reporting suspected abusers to law enforcement authorities. But this case has served as a wake-up call that the policies cannot be effective if bishops do not follow them.
What's next for bishop Robert Finn?
KANSAS CITY (MO)USA Today
By David Gibson
(RNS) Catholic Bishop Robert W. Finn was found guilty Thursday of failing to tell police about a priest suspected of sexually exploiting children, an unprecedented verdict that is being hailed as a landmark in the effort to bring accountability to the church's hierarchy.
Finn, leader of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and an outspoken conservative in the American hierarchy, was convicted of a single misdemeanor count for not telling police that one of his priests, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, had taken hundreds of lewd images of children in Catholic schools and parishes.
But even as he became the first U.S. bishop ever convicted in criminal court for shielding an abusive priest, Finn's standing inside the church appears uncertain, and the subject of intense debate.
Should he stay or should he go? Finn has indicated that he wants to tough it out.
Conviction of Missouri priest on misdemeanor charge intensifies calls for him to resign
KANSAS CITY (MO)Star Tribune
Article by: BILL DRAPER , Associated Press
Updated: September 7, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Parishioners in Missouri and observers across the U.S. say Bishop Robert Finn should resign after being convicted of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse to the state.
Supporters say Finn made a mistake, but not one that should result in him being booted from his role as leader of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Finn was found guilty Thursday of one misdemeanor charge and sentenced to two years of probation. If he abides by all the conditions, the conviction will be removed from his record in 2014.
Congregation member Patricia Rotert says Finn has lost his credibility and should step down.
Bill Donohue and the Catholic League Once Again Rise to the Defense of Pedophile Priests
UNITED STATESRight Wing Watch
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Fri, 09/07/2012
In another shameful episode of the Catholic League’s Bill Donohue apologism of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Donohue played down the crimes of a Catholic priest, who in August “pleaded guilty to four counts of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to produce child pornography using girls as young as 2 years old,” and the Bishop who was convicted yesterday of shielding the priest. “The case did not involve child sexual abuse—no child was ever abused, or touched, in any way by Father Sean Ratigan,” Donohue said. “Nor did this case involve child pornography.” Following Bishop Robert Finn’s conviction, Donohue claimed that the “chorus of condemnations targeting Bishop Finn” are “as unfair as they are contrived.”
Let’s get rid of some myths. Bishop Finn was not found guilty of a felony: he was found guilty of one misdemeanor, and innocent of another. The case did not involve child sexual abuse—no child was ever abused, or touched, in any way by Father Sean Ratigan. Nor did this case involve child pornography. Here’s what happened.
On December 16, 2010, a computer technician found crotch-shot pictures of children, fully clothed, on Ratigan’s computer; there was one that showed a girl’s genitals exposed. The next day Ratigan attempted suicide. The Vicar General, Msgr. Robert Murphy, without seeing the photos, contacted a police officer about this matter. The officer, after consulting with another cop, said a single photo of a non-sexual nature would not constitute pornography. After a few more of the same types of photos were found, an attorney rendered the same judgment: they were not pornographic.
Finn then asked a psychiatrist to evaluate Ratigan. The bishop was given the judgment of a professional: the priest was not a risk to children (he was diagnosed as suffering from depression). Finn then placed restrictions on Ratigan, which he broke. When it was found that Ratigan was again using a computer, upon examination more disturbing photos were found. Murphy then called the cops (Finn was out of town) and a week later Ratigan was arrested. Yesterday, Finn was found guilty of one misdemeanor of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse.
The Catholic League supports harsh penalties for child sexual abusers, and for those who cover it up. But it also supports equal justice for all, and given what we know of what is going on in many other communities, religious as well as secular, we find the chorus of condemnations targeting Bishop Finn to be as unfair as they are contrived.
As the New York Times reported, Father Ratigan “had taken hundreds of pornographic pictures of young girls,” including on the playground at the school which employed him and some of the photos even “show girls’ genitalia through their clothing.” The school’s principal sent the Bishop a letter noting that Ratigan “put a girl on his lap on a bus ride and encouraged children to reach into his pockets for candy, and that parents discovered girl’s underwear in a planter outside his house.”
The case began when the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a charismatic parish priest who had previously attracted attention for inappropriate behavior with children, took his laptop computer in for repairs in December 2010. A technician immediately told church officials that the laptop contained what appeared to be pornographic photographs of young girls’ genitals, naked and clothed.
Father Ratigan attempted suicide, survived and was sent for treatment. Bishop Finn reassigned him to live in a convent and ordered him stay away from children. But Father Ratigan continued to attend church events and take lewd pictures of girls for five more months, until church officials reported him in May 2011, without Bishop Finn’s approval. The bishop was found guilty on the charge relating only to that time period.
Father Ratigan pleaded guilty in August to federal child pornography charges, and is awaiting sentencing.
Ms. Peters Baker told the judge in opening arguments that Bishop Finn had been given ample warning that Father Ratigan was a danger to children. She said that the priest had even admitted to Bishop Finn that he had “a pornography problem.”
The prosecutor said: “Defendant Finn is the ultimate authority. The buck does stop with him.”
In May 2010, the principal of the Catholic elementary school where Father Ratigan was working sent a memo to the diocese raising alarm about the priest. The letter said that he had put a girl on his lap on a bus ride and encouraged children to reach into his pockets for candy, and that parents discovered girl’s underwear in a planter outside his house. Bishop Finn has said he did not read the letter until a year later.
The prosecutor said the photographs discovered on Father Ratigan’s laptop in December 2010 were “alarming photos,” among them a series taken on a playground in which the photographer moves in closer until the final shots show girls’ genitalia through their clothing. Confronted with the photographs, Father Ratigan tried to commit suicide, but survived and was briefly hospitalized.
Father Ratigan attempted suicide, survived and was sent for treatment. Bishop Finn reassigned him to live in a convent and ordered him stay away from children. But Father Ratigan continued to attend church events and take lewd pictures of girls for five more months, until church officials reported him in May 2011, without Bishop Finn’s approval. The bishop was found guilty on the charge relating only to that time period.
Father Ratigan pleaded guilty in August to federal child pornography charges, and is awaiting sentencing.
Ms. Peters Baker told the judge in opening arguments that Bishop Finn had been given ample warning that Father Ratigan was a danger to children. She said that the priest had even admitted to Bishop Finn that he had “a pornography problem.”
The prosecutor said: “Defendant Finn is the ultimate authority. The buck does stop with him.”
In May 2010, the principal of the Catholic elementary school where Father Ratigan was working sent a memo to the diocese raising alarm about the priest. The letter said that he had put a girl on his lap on a bus ride and encouraged children to reach into his pockets for candy, and that parents discovered girl’s underwear in a planter outside his house. Bishop Finn has said he did not read the letter until a year later.
The prosecutor said the photographs discovered on Father Ratigan’s laptop in December 2010 were “alarming photos,” among them a series taken on a playground in which the photographer moves in closer until the final shots show girls’ genitalia through their clothing. Confronted with the photographs, Father Ratigan tried to commit suicide, but survived and was briefly hospitalized.
Assessing the Catholic League's Facts
UNITED STATESAnti-Catholic League
By David Fortwengler
Let’s get rid of some myths. The Catholic League is not a civil rights organization as they claim. The Catholic League does not “defend the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination” as they claim.
That is because there is no discrimination of Catholics to participate in public life. The two vice-presidential candidates are Catholic, six Supreme Court justices are Catholic, dozens of U.S Representatives and Senators are Catholic (including the Speaker of the House who is third in line to the Presidency), and thousands of other elected officials across this country are Catholic. If Cardinal Dolan or Bill Donohue want to run for office they are welcome to try.
When Donohue and his league of misguided membership refer to defamation and discrimination what they really mean is some people disagree with them. They hate that.
With that being said, the least of my problems are the fabricated rants of a delusional organization and their bombastic leader. My problem is the deliberate pain he inflicts on survivors of sex crimes committed when they were minors, including me. Donohue is free to manipulate his own mind when it comes to portraying the Catholic Church as a victim of an anti-Catholic conspiracy regarding the sex abuse scandal. But when he LIES about the facts he offends and rightly outrages all who don’t practice his form of mental gymnastics.
Today Donohue published his response to yesterday’s conviction of Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn for failing to report suspicion of child sexual abuse. In Bill’s press release titled “Assessing Bishop Finn’s Guilt” he concludes the “condemnations targeting Bishop Finn to be as unfair as they are contrived.” Why would it be unfair to be disgusted and outraged at the actions of Bishop Finn? He was not targeted, he was convicted. The facts weren’t contrived, they were stipulated to by Finn’s own attorney’s. (paid for by the fine catholics of Kansas City)
I will now take a deep breath and detail the absolute, dangerous, and hurtful LIES Donohue spews in release. His comments are in blue and my response follows in black.
The case did not involve child sexual abuse—no child was ever abused, or touched, in any way by Father Sean Ratigan. Nor did this case involve child pornography.
Father Shawn Ratigan has been convicted of possessing and producing child pornography which was on the computer that Bishop Finn was aware of. According to the stipulation of facts when a computer technician examining Ratigan’s computer on December 16, 2010 discovered alarming pictures, they included close up photos of a little girls naked vagina. The series of eight photos showed the girl’s panties being moved aside in each picture. The girl was estimated by police to be three or four years old. Does Donohue think she moved the panties herself to give Ratigan a better shot?
ASSESSING BISHOP FINN’S GUILT
KANSAS CITY (MO)Catholic League
Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on a judge’s decision yesterday finding Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert Finn guilty in a case involving Father Sean Ratigan:
Let’s get rid of some myths. Bishop Finn was not found guilty of a felony: he was found guilty of one misdemeanor, and innocent of another. The case did not involve child sexual abuse—no child was ever abused, or touched, in any way by Father Sean Ratigan. Nor did this case involve child pornography. Here’s what happened.
On December 16, 2010, a computer technician found crotch-shot pictures of children, fully clothed, on Ratigan’s computer; there was one that showed a girl’s genitals exposed. The next day Ratigan attempted suicide. The Vicar General, Msgr. Robert Murphy, without seeing the photos, contacted a police officer about this matter. The officer, after consulting with another cop, said a single photo of a non-sexual nature would not constitute pornography. After a few more of the same types of photos were found, an attorney rendered the same judgment: they were not pornographic.
Finn then asked a psychiatrist to evaluate Ratigan. The bishop was given the judgment of a professional: the priest was not a risk to children (he was diagnosed as suffering from depression). Finn then placed restrictions on Ratigan, which he broke. When it was found that Ratigan was again using a computer, upon examination more disturbing photos were found. Murphy then called the cops (Finn was out of town) and a week later Ratigan was arrested. Yesterday, Finn was found guilty of one misdemeanor of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse.
Will a criminal conviction finally get the American bishops' attention?
UNITED STATESCatholic Culture
By Phil Lawler | September 07, 2012
So now an American bishop is a convicted criminal. Do you suppose there’s any chance the other bishops will finally get the message?
Bishop Robert Finn has been convicted in a court of law for doing what scores of other American bishops have done in the recent past. It’s true that Bishop Finn will not serve actual jail time, and his criminal record will be erased after he completes a term of probation; but the judge had the authority to put him behind bars for a year.
In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, Msgr. William Lynn is already behind bars, for doing what his cardinal-archbishop apparently told him to do.
Some intelligent observers argue that Bishop Finn (and Msgr. Lynn, for that matter) should not have been convicted. But I am inclined to accept the judgment of the courts—as Bishop Finn, at least, has apparently done. Any loyal Catholic should also be troubled by the prospect of a secular court passing judgment on a bishop’s exercise of episcopal ministry. But in this case there is no doubt in my mind that civil officials are emboldened to police the bishops because the bishops have so calamitously failed to police themselves.
Bishop Finn Guilty: Diocese Escapes Responsibility
KANSAS CITY (MO)Jeff Anderson & Associates
Gregg Meyers
Today, Jackson County Judge John Torrence found Bishop Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph guilty on one count of failing to report child abuse. Bishop Finn’s trial arises out of his own actions and the Diocese’s actions surrounding the December 2010 discovery that a Diocesan priest, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, produced child pornography with young parishioners of the Diocese.
This verdict follows the disturbing report last week that when Bishop Finn was first alerted by a Diocesan staffer about the child pornography found on Shawn Ratigan’s computer, he reacted by merely saying, “boys will be boys.” As a further indication of the Bishop’s callous indifference, Bishop Finn and the Diocese sat on this crucial information and did not report it to law enforcement for six months.
For Finn’s key role in protecting a known child predator to the detriment of children in the Diocese, Judge Torrence sentenced him to two-years of suspended probation with eight conditions. This sentence is light given that Finn was facing a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Finn-ishing Up
KANSAS CITY (MO)Waiting for Godot to Leave
There's something about Christ and how we fail Him that we can learn from Kansas City / St. Joseph Bishop Finn.
Here's what Bishop Finn did -
He was informed by letter by a Catholic School Principal at St. Patrick's Parish in Kansas City that parents and teachers were concerned about the behavior of their pastor, Fr. Ratigan, who was trying to spend time alone with students, who insisted on giving a little girl a massage at a church event, who was taking a lot of pictures of little girls, and in whose garden a pair of little girl's underwear was discovered. Bishop Finn ignored the letter.
A year later, a computer technician finds hundreds of photos on Fr. Ratigan's computer - photos of little girl students at the parish school, and one of a sleeping two year old, with her diaper moved to the side to reveal her genitalia - all taken by Fr. Ratigan. In fact, the photos of the students were taken surreptitiously on the playground, at the cafeteria and elsewhere, and included close-ups of girls' crotches, and some where their underwear or genitals were showing. Also on the computer were links to sites that sell spy cameras. The computer is taken to Msgr. Murphy, the vicar general, who before seeing the photos, (that's right, before seeing the photos) calls an off-duty police officer and asks him if a few photos of a mostly-clothed children could be pornographic. The off-duty police officer says, "Maybe." This is the only contact the diocese makes with the police, until they are forced to contact them again six months later. Some of the photos are downloaded from the computer by the chancery, but Bishop Finn gives the computer to a relative of Fr. Ratigan's, who then promptly destroys it.
Fr. Ratigan attempts suicide but survives. He is sent to a counselor in Pennsylvania for a very brief evaluation. The counselor says, "This man is fine. He just needs the principal of the school to stop picking on him." Bishop Finn does not allow the parishioners to know what has happened; they are only told of the suicide attempt. No effort is made to determine who the victims were. No effort is made to contact their families, to see if the children were physically assaulted as well as photographed. No counseling or outreach or intervention of any kind is offered. The victims and their families are kept entirely in the dark.
Bishop Robert Finn convicted of shielding priest who pleaded guilty to child porn charges
KANSAS CITY (MO)Pitch
Posted by Ben Palosaari on Fri, Sep 7, 2012
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert Finn was convicted of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse on Thursday. Presiding over an hour-long bench trial, Judge John Torrence found Finn not guilty of a second charge. Finn was given two years of probation, but Torrence suspended the sentence. If Finn completes his probation, the conviction will be removed from his criminal record. The conviction makes Finn the highest ranking Catholic church official in the country to be found guilty of a charge related to a sex abuse scandal.
Finn was charged in the wake of a scandal surrounding priest Shawn Ratigan. Sexual images of young girls were found on Ratigan's laptop computer in late 2010. The diocese knew of the images on the computer for several months before telling authorities. Ratigan pleaded guilty in August, but hasn't been sentenced yet.
Finn had been scheduled for a jury trial. But Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says the bench trial saved the victims' families the pain of testifying. The New York Times reports that Finn told the court, "I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt that these events have caused."
Mo- Bishop Finn guilty, SNAP responds
KANSAS CITY (MO)Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Dorris on September 06, 2012
Only jail time would have made a real difference here and deterred future horrific cover-ups, anything less will not produce any meaningful reform.
The catholic hierarchy is notoriously secretive. When they backslide again it will be hard to catch them, everyone involved must be hyper vigilant if kids are truly to be safe. We are modestly hopeful about this arrangement, but only if prosecutors are extraordinarily vigilant and determined. Bishops are tyrants and tyrants rarely honor deals. Kansas City may now be tempted to become complacent, but now more than ever victims, witnesses, and whistleblower cannot give up and stay silent. Now more than ever anyone who saw, suspected, or suffered clergy sex crimes and cover-ups should step forward.
Catholic Bishop becomes most senior U.S. clergyman to be CONVICTED in child porn cover-up
KANSAS CITY (MO)Daily Mail (United Kingdom)
Guilty: Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn was convicted of one misdemeanor count of failing to report child sex abuse within the church
Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn was found guilty on Thursday of one count of covering up child pornography, becoming the highest-ranking American cleric convicted in the Roman Catholic Church child sex abuse scandal.
Bishop Finn, 59, was charged in 2011 with two misdemeanor counts of failing to alert authorities about a cache of lewd images depicting young girls that were found on the computer of Reverend Shawn Ratigan.
Jackson County Court Judge John Torrence acquitted Finn on a second count of covering up child sex abuse.
Finn received two years of probation, but that sentence was suspended and will be wiped from his record if he adheres to a set of conditions that include mandatory abuse reporting training and setting aside $10,000 in diocese money for abuse victim counseling.
=========
News update for September 9, 2012
News update for September 9, 2012
A tale of two priests punished under canon law
UNITED STATES
New Jersey Newsroom
Sunday, 09 September 2012
BY PAT SUMMERS
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
COMMENTARY
New Jersey Newsroom
Sunday, 09 September 2012
BY PAT SUMMERS
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
COMMENTARY
This week’s news highlighted two different states and two different states of mind within leaders of the American Catholic Church. Both cases involved “canon law” — the body of laws and regulations governing the organization and its members.
In Connecticut , the Archbishop of the Hartford Missouri
Canon law was cited in both cases. In Connecticut
In Missouri
Nor was this Finn’s first brush with civil and canon law on the subject of child abuse. Only three years ago, he “settled lawsuits with 47 plaintiffs in sexual abuse cases for $10 million and agreed to a list of 19 preventive measures, among them to immediately report anyone suspected of being a pedophile to the law enforcement authorities,” the Times continued.
Seven years before that, U.S. bishops had pledged to report suspected abusers to law enforcement authorities — a policy also recommended last year by the Vatican. Bishop Finn’s failure to report Father Ratigan until after a subordinate did so thus violated a procedure that had been agreed on twice in one decade.
Finn’s violation could have been punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to a year, but earlier this week, he got off with two years of court-supervised probation. A follow-up headline read, “Indicted bishop plans to continue leading diocese,” but just where might the highest ranking U.S. Catholic official to be criminally charged with sheltering an abusive clergyman “lead” his diocese?
The truly ugly and drawn-out child porn case in Missouri makes the Connecticut
==========
Updates for September 16, 2012
Principal Hess wrote a 5 page letter detailing the troubling behavior of Ratigan and her report eventually made its way to Monsignor Robert Murphy, who then had a meeting with Finn to discuss its contents. A man who had pledged to make the safety of children his “top priority” would obviously do one of two things. He would say, ”Show me the letter” or “Get me Principal Hess on the phone right now”. Of course that never crossed his mind.
Whether his finnaction was finntentional or just finnept, it was finnacceptable.
The Conversation
A fly on the wall reported to me Murphy and Finn’s conversation went like this:
Murphy: I received a complaint from a lay principal about Father Ratigan’s behavior around kids.
Finn: I’m tired of these lay people not knowing their place. It’s none of her business what my priests do. Put a note in her file, if she does it again fire her. Anything else?
Murphy: Just a reminder, you’re attending a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the Knights of Columbus tonight.
Finn: Ok, make sure they know I like a good Chianti with my spaghetti.
to be continued...
If Bishop Robert W. Finn wanted today to volunteer at a parish in the Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.
That is, he could not serve in those positions if he were just a layman, deacon or priest. But he is a bishop, and that makes all the difference. And he can, apparently, do anything he wants under church law.
There are two issues at play here: the governance of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese and the integrity of theU.S.
Finn cannot govern the diocese. It is clear to local Catholics he has been largely absent from the day-to-day life of the diocese for almost a year. The chancery offices are in disarray, diocesan personnel feel abandoned, and the clergy are either angry or dumbfounded. From the very first day of his tenure in this diocese, Finn has been a source of division and divisiveness. He does have supporters, but he has never won even a grudging respect from majority of active Catholics.
His timid apology on the day of his trial is telling.
"I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt that these events have caused," he said. He should have said: "I'm sorry for the repeated failures that my decisions and my actions have caused" -- full stop. Finn's premeditated written statement continues his denial of the wrong he has caused. It reflects a kind of deflection and part of Finn's attempt to keep his see.
The topic of discussion in coffee klatches after Mass this weekend in the diocese was the cost of "these events" [2] to the diocese: $1.39 million for defending Finn and the diocese in the criminal cases; about $286,000 in fees for civil suits stemming from this case; $450,000 for a report to study what happened in this case; and almost $200,000 to establish a new diocesan ombudsman for abuse and office of child protection. And insurance premiums will rise 11 percent this year.
We cannot imagine how those expenses will be explained in the annual bishop's appeal that would typically be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.
We do not believe Finn can heal the wounds inflicted on the local church. For endangering children and for losing the confidence of the diocese, we believe that Finn should resign or be removed.
Some have said the criminal convictions of high chancery officials for covering up for clergy sex abusers -- Finn last week and Msgr. William Lynn inPhiladelphia
But if it is true that the force of civil law has been brought to bear from the outside, inside the church, the local bishop still reigns as an unchecked potentate. Robert Finn would not be allowed to teach Sunday morning bible study, but Bishop Finn remains spiritual leader of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese with exclusive and sole authority over all diocesan matters. (Editor's note: NCR's offices are inKansas City
It is now 10 years since the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children was adopted by the bishops. For 10 years, the bishops have told their flocks that whatever happened in the past, they learned their lesson and would be vigilant both in the protection of children and the prosecution of those who failed to protect them.
For 10 years, the bishops have said no place was safer for children than the ministries and parishes of the Catholic church. Yet we now know, and a court has found, that when faced not only with the requirement of meeting the church's own standards, but with the standards of civil law, Finn failed to fulfill the obligations the bishops made and the procedures demanded by civil law.
In June, the bishops heard from the chairman of their own review board on child protection, Al J. Notzon III. He commended the bishops for the steps they had taken but warned them their credibility remained an issue for many Catholics. He specifically noted the fear many Catholics have that bishops still had the means and the power to cover up instances of child sex abuse.
"This suggests a trust problem and must be met with scrupulous adherence to the charter," Notzon told the bishops.
The report Notzon filed with the bishops warned against "complacency or Charter drift."
"Now is not the time to drift away from the moral requirements of the Charter and the legal requirements of reporting," he wrote. "Children must be protected. Bishops must continue to work toward restoring the trust of the faithful. Only when bishops are seen as following through on their promise to protect and pledge to heal will the faithful begin to trust them to take care of their most precious gift -- their children."
" ... [T]he question of the consequences for those who do not follow the Charter is still unanswered. The National Review Board asks each bishop to continue to take seriously the harm done to the Church and the faithful when these requirements are not met."
Last month, Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, head of the bishops' committee on child protection, talked about why people remain skeptical of the bishops' efforts in the area of child protection.
Everywhere, the insight is apparent. Until there is some reason to believe bishops can and will be held accountable for their failings, the church's credibility remains in tatters. We urge Finn to take seriously the harm done to the church and the faithful -- especially the most vulnerable young children -- because he did not meet the moral requirements of the charter.
Finn, under any other circumstances, would not be permitted to publicly minister to children. The inescapable conclusion is that for the good of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese and of the larger church, he must either resign or be removed.
National Survivor Advocates Coalition hits KC, wants Finn to resign
KANSAS CITY (MO)
KMBZ
Today victims and survivors from the National Survivor Advocates Coalition will descend upon Kansas City seeking the resignation of the Bishop Robert Finn. Theresa Torres is a religious studies professor at UMKC. She told our news partners at Channel 9 that Finn isn't likely to be removed from his post by the Diocese. "It would be very surprising if he was asked to resign," Torres said. "The pope hasn't done that in any case so far in which there have been questions." Two weeks ago Finn was found guilty of failure to report suspicion of child abuse.
Walk the Talk for the removal of Bishop Finn.
Holding signs and childhood photos at a press conference and silent walk around the block of the Cathedral, leaders of two organization, concerned Catholics, and concerned citizens will call for the resignation of an area bishop Finn, found guilty of failing to report child porn, and
-- show support for survivors
-- urge anyone who saw, suspected or suffered the predator’s crimes to call police
=========
Anti-Catholic League
By David Fortwengler
Last basketball season the spectacular play of previously unheralded New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin inspired one of the most popular terms in sports journalism today, “Linsanity.” My shameless efforts to steal from popular culture have finnspired me to use this simple technique to comment on the current scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City led by Bishop Robert Finn.
Finnsanity Begins with Lost Finncome
In 2008 the Kansas City Diocese settled a civil lawsuit brought by 47 plaintiffs who were sexually abused by Kansas City priests. Finn authorized a 10 million dollar settlement and agreed to several non-monetary provisions. Most important to the victims, he promised his “top priority” would be to protect children with rigorous new policies, vigilence, and reform. Would 10 million reasons to do the right thing be enough for a Catholic Bishop to protect kids?
First Finncedent with Ratigan
Shawn Ratigan was ordained a priest in 2004 and there are unconfirmed reports of early complaints about his behavior around minors. The first finndisputed evidence of Ratigan’s finnappropriate behavior around children occurred in May 2010 when Julie Hess, principal of the school at the parish where Ratigan was assigned, was so concerned she notified the diocese in writing.
KMBZ
Today victims and survivors from the National Survivor Advocates Coalition will descend upon Kansas City seeking the resignation of the Bishop Robert Finn. Theresa Torres is a religious studies professor at UMKC. She told our news partners at Channel 9 that Finn isn't likely to be removed from his post by the Diocese. "It would be very surprising if he was asked to resign," Torres said. "The pope hasn't done that in any case so far in which there have been questions." Two weeks ago Finn was found guilty of failure to report suspicion of child abuse.
Walk the Talk for the removal of Bishop Finn.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
Walk the Talk for the removal of Bishop Finn.
A silent “Walk” while carrying signs around block of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
What
Holding signs and childhood photos at a press conference and silent walk around the block of the Cathedral, leaders of two organization, concerned Catholics, and concerned citizens will call for the resignation of an area bishop Finn, found guilty of failing to report child porn, and
-- show support for survivors
-- urge anyone who saw, suspected or suffered the predator’s crimes to call police
When
Sunday, September 16th . Meeting, greeting, gathering at 2:00 PM. Press conference at 2:45PM, and then the Walk.
Where
At the pergola in Barney Allis Plaza , (corner of Central St and W 12th St Kansas City, Missouri
Who
Clergy sexual abuse survivors and their supporters and families, Members of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), Representatives of the National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC), concerned Catholics, and concerned citizens who are fed up with the leadership in this diocese
=========
Finnsanity in Kansas City
Opus Dei Golden Cow Bishop Finn
UNITED STATESAnti-Catholic League
By David Fortwengler
Last basketball season the spectacular play of previously unheralded New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin inspired one of the most popular terms in sports journalism today, “Linsanity.” My shameless efforts to steal from popular culture have finnspired me to use this simple technique to comment on the current scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City led by Bishop Robert Finn.
Finnsanity Begins with Lost Finncome
In 2008 the Kansas City Diocese settled a civil lawsuit brought by 47 plaintiffs who were sexually abused by Kansas City priests. Finn authorized a 10 million dollar settlement and agreed to several non-monetary provisions. Most important to the victims, he promised his “top priority” would be to protect children with rigorous new policies, vigilence, and reform. Would 10 million reasons to do the right thing be enough for a Catholic Bishop to protect kids?
First Finncedent with Ratigan
Shawn Ratigan was ordained a priest in 2004 and there are unconfirmed reports of early complaints about his behavior around minors. The first finndisputed evidence of Ratigan’s finnappropriate behavior around children occurred in May 2010 when Julie Hess, principal of the school at the parish where Ratigan was assigned, was so concerned she notified the diocese in writing.
Whether his finnaction was finntentional or just finnept, it was finnacceptable.
The Conversation
A fly on the wall reported to me Murphy and Finn’s conversation went like this:
Murphy: I received a complaint from a lay principal about Father Ratigan’s behavior around kids.
Finn: I’m tired of these lay people not knowing their place. It’s none of her business what my priests do. Put a note in her file, if she does it again fire her. Anything else?
Murphy: Just a reminder, you’re attending a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the Knights of Columbus tonight.
Finn: Ok, make sure they know I like a good Chianti with my spaghetti.
to be continued...
KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter
National Catholic Reporter
Sep. 10, 2012
By An NCR Editorial
By An NCR Editorial
That is, he could not serve in those positions if he were just a layman, deacon or priest. But he is a bishop, and that makes all the difference. And he can, apparently, do anything he wants under church law.
There are two issues at play here: the governance of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese and the integrity of the
Finn cannot govern the diocese. It is clear to local Catholics he has been largely absent from the day-to-day life of the diocese for almost a year. The chancery offices are in disarray, diocesan personnel feel abandoned, and the clergy are either angry or dumbfounded. From the very first day of his tenure in this diocese, Finn has been a source of division and divisiveness. He does have supporters, but he has never won even a grudging respect from majority of active Catholics.
His timid apology on the day of his trial is telling.
"I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt that these events have caused," he said. He should have said: "I'm sorry for the repeated failures that my decisions and my actions have caused" -- full stop. Finn's premeditated written statement continues his denial of the wrong he has caused. It reflects a kind of deflection and part of Finn's attempt to keep his see.
The topic of discussion in coffee klatches after Mass this weekend in the diocese was the cost of "these events" [2] to the diocese: $1.39 million for defending Finn and the diocese in the criminal cases; about $286,000 in fees for civil suits stemming from this case; $450,000 for a report to study what happened in this case; and almost $200,000 to establish a new diocesan ombudsman for abuse and office of child protection. And insurance premiums will rise 11 percent this year.
We cannot imagine how those expenses will be explained in the annual bishop's appeal that would typically be rolled out in the next couple of weeks.
We do not believe Finn can heal the wounds inflicted on the local church. For endangering children and for losing the confidence of the diocese, we believe that Finn should resign or be removed.
Some have said the criminal convictions of high chancery officials for covering up for clergy sex abusers -- Finn last week and Msgr. William Lynn in
But if it is true that the force of civil law has been brought to bear from the outside, inside the church, the local bishop still reigns as an unchecked potentate. Robert Finn would not be allowed to teach Sunday morning bible study, but Bishop Finn remains spiritual leader of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese with exclusive and sole authority over all diocesan matters. (Editor's note: NCR's offices are in
It is now 10 years since the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children was adopted by the bishops. For 10 years, the bishops have told their flocks that whatever happened in the past, they learned their lesson and would be vigilant both in the protection of children and the prosecution of those who failed to protect them.
For 10 years, the bishops have said no place was safer for children than the ministries and parishes of the Catholic church. Yet we now know, and a court has found, that when faced not only with the requirement of meeting the church's own standards, but with the standards of civil law, Finn failed to fulfill the obligations the bishops made and the procedures demanded by civil law.
In June, the bishops heard from the chairman of their own review board on child protection, Al J. Notzon III. He commended the bishops for the steps they had taken but warned them their credibility remained an issue for many Catholics. He specifically noted the fear many Catholics have that bishops still had the means and the power to cover up instances of child sex abuse.
"This suggests a trust problem and must be met with scrupulous adherence to the charter," Notzon told the bishops.
The report Notzon filed with the bishops warned against "complacency or Charter drift."
"Now is not the time to drift away from the moral requirements of the Charter and the legal requirements of reporting," he wrote. "Children must be protected. Bishops must continue to work toward restoring the trust of the faithful. Only when bishops are seen as following through on their promise to protect and pledge to heal will the faithful begin to trust them to take care of their most precious gift -- their children."
" ... [T]he question of the consequences for those who do not follow the Charter is still unanswered. The National Review Board asks each bishop to continue to take seriously the harm done to the Church and the faithful when these requirements are not met."
Last month, Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, head of the bishops' committee on child protection, talked about why people remain skeptical of the bishops' efforts in the area of child protection.
Everywhere, the insight is apparent. Until there is some reason to believe bishops can and will be held accountable for their failings, the church's credibility remains in tatters. We urge Finn to take seriously the harm done to the church and the faithful -- especially the most vulnerable young children -- because he did not meet the moral requirements of the charter.
Finn, under any other circumstances, would not be permitted to publicly minister to children. The inescapable conclusion is that for the good of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese and of the larger church, he must either resign or be removed.
Posted by Kathy Shaw at 6:57 AM
While Dolan Prayed, His Church Preyed
UNITED STATES
Falls Church News-Press
By Wayne Besen Wednesday, September 12 2012
Last Thursday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention, offering a divisive sermon that touched on abortion and marriage equality.
"We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."
"Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature's God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community."
While he prayed against my family and for the unborn, a Catholic leader in Kansas City, Bishop Robert W. Finn, was convicted of covering up the crimes of a pedophile priest, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who liked to take nude pictures of the barely born. According to a detailed article by Laurie Goodstein in the New York Times:
In December 2010, Bishop Finn got some disturbing news: Father Ratigan had just tried to commit suicide by running his motorcycle in a closed garage. The day before, a computer technician had discovered sexually explicit photographs of young girls on Father Ratigan's laptop, including one of a toddler with her diaper pulled away to expose her genitals.
Falls Church News-Press
By Wayne Besen Wednesday, September 12 2012
Last Thursday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the closing prayer at the Democratic National Convention, offering a divisive sermon that touched on abortion and marriage equality.
"We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."
"Show us anew that happiness is found only in respecting the laws of nature and of nature's God. Empower us with your grace so that we might resist the temptation to replace the moral law with idols of our own making, or to remake those institutions you have given us for the nurturing of life and community."
While he prayed against my family and for the unborn, a Catholic leader in Kansas City, Bishop Robert W. Finn, was convicted of covering up the crimes of a pedophile priest, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who liked to take nude pictures of the barely born. According to a detailed article by Laurie Goodstein in the New York Times:
In December 2010, Bishop Finn got some disturbing news: Father Ratigan had just tried to commit suicide by running his motorcycle in a closed garage. The day before, a computer technician had discovered sexually explicit photographs of young girls on Father Ratigan's laptop, including one of a toddler with her diaper pulled away to expose her genitals.
3 days ago
News updates for October 13, 2012
Bishop Finn : Church Leaders Being Church Leaders?
KANSAS CITY (MO)Legal Examiner
Mike Bryant
Attorney
The plea of Rev. Shawn Ratigan last month to production of child pornography was a major step in the prosecution of priests who have been involved in the abuse of children. What has been revealing is the deposition testimony of Julie Creech, the IT director for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. In the deposition, she described confronting Finn about the naked images of young girls she found on Ratigan's computer.
"Finn did indicate that...sometimes priests do things they shouldn't," Creech said in the deposition. "He said, 'Sometimes boys will be boys.'"
Since this deposition, Creech did release the following statement through her lawyers:
The statement Julie Creech attributed to Bishop Finn during her deposition that “boys will be boys” is not consistent with her recollection of any conversations she had with the bishop concerning the Shawn Ratigan matter. Following the deposition, Julie realized she had misspoken. She understood that pursuant to the rules of civil practice, she would receive a copy of the deposition transcript and have the opportunity to acknowledge and correct her mistaken testimony. Because the deposition was so recently completed, Julie has not yet had a chance to do that, so we were certainly surprised to learn that an unverified copy of her testimony was attached to a pleading in a civil case.
It will be interesting what happens the next time she testifies. As with any deposition testimony, what she said was taken under oath. Seems like a very significant quote that shouldn't have been said or offered lightly. It could be confirmation of the very attitudes that have gotten the Church in so much trouble.
So it will be expected that the usual apologists will defend it as being a misstatement. However, when it goes to the very heart of the problem, doesn't it seem to have the type of admission against interest that often gets defendants in trouble? Is it a look into the very nature and sickness that explains why this problem doesn't go away?
Jeff Anderson took a look at the issue over at his blog with :
Bishop Finn says “boys will be boys;” Priests will abuse kids until the Pope acts, says Jeff Anderson
As Jeff points out, it is important that the Pope address this conviction and this cavalier response because the Church needs to make sure that a response like this will never be tolerated.
They needed to use the zero tolerance doctrine to shine light on what happened and to ensure that it would never happen again. They need to not move priests around and to quit putting them in situations which allow great access to kids. They needed to stop hiding.
Abuse of children and the continued silence by the offenders needs to be prevented. If you suffered, saw, or suspected such events, it is important to know that there is help out there.
Tags: Julie Creech, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, Bishop Finn, Bishop Conference, Holy See, Pope, Vatican, sexual assault, priest abuse, Catholic Church, assault, clergy abuse, pedophile, Child Safety
KANSAS CITY (MO)
KCUR
KCUR
By Stephen Steigman and Steve Kraske
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is still reeling from Bishop Robert Finn's conviction this month for failing to report child sexual abuse.
Members of a national Catholic organization -- the National Survivor Advocates Coalition -- on Sunday demanded that Finn resign. A spokeswoman for that group said simply, "A criminally convicted bishop cannot lead."
The bishop is the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric to be convicted in the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
Members of a national Catholic organization -- the National Survivor Advocates Coalition -- on Sunday demanded that Finn resign. A spokeswoman for that group said simply, "A criminally convicted bishop cannot lead."
The bishop is the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric to be convicted in the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
Catholic group calls for KC Bishop Finn to resign
KANSAS CITY (MO)San Antonio Express-News
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A national Catholic organization is pushing for Bishop Robert Finn to resign after he became the highest-ranking U.S. church official convicted of a crime related to the child sexual abuse scandal.
The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/Nxevak ) reported that the National Survivor Advocates Coalition made the demand during a news conference Sunday in downtown Kansas City. Coalition chairwoman Kristine Ward says a criminally convicted bishop "cannot lead."
Finn leads the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. He was convicted earlier this month of one misdemeanor for failing to report child abuse suspicions.
The charges stem from a case in which church officials knew about child porn photos on a priest's computer but didn't turn him in until six months later.
Catholic group calls for KC Bishop Robert Finn to resign
KANSAS CITY (MO)The Kansas City Star
By KAREN DILLON
The Kansas City Star
Members of a national Catholic organization on Sunday demanded the resignation of Bishop Robert W. Finn, who was convicted this month of failing to report child sexual abuse.
The National Survivor Advocates Coalition, which has its headquarters in Dayton, Ohio, held a news conference at Barney Allis Plaza in downtown Kansas City — in the shadow of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — to make its demand.
“A criminally convicted bishop cannot lead. Bishop Finn must resign or be removed by Pope Benedict,” said coalition chairwoman Kristine Ward. “Every hour he remains bishop revictimizes survivors and their families.”
Finn, who is head of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, is the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic cleric to be convicted in the church’s decades-long child sexual abuse scandal.
September 16, 2012
KANSAS CITY (MO)
KSHB
KSHB
[with video]
By: Lisa Benson
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A national survivor's group is calling for Bishop Robert Finn to resign from the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph. The group believes Finn's criminal conviction leaves him unfit to lead diocese.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A national survivor's group is calling for Bishop Robert Finn to resign from the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph. The group believes Finn's criminal conviction leaves him unfit to lead diocese.
Kristine Ward is the chair of the National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC). She and a group of demonstrators met at Barney Allis Plaza to lay out their demand and march to the the Kansas City - St. Joseph diocese.
Ward called for Catholics to send a message with their feet and their wallets.
"We are asking them to not give their money in collection baskets until Bishop Finn resigns," Ward said. "Put it in escrow or give it directly to survivor organizations."
NSAC supporters met Finn supporters in front of the diocese offices. Finn supporters, like Tessa Hatler, want Finn to stay.
Posted by Kathy Shaw at 9:09 PM
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Pope Crimes & Vatican Evils...
Pope Crimes & Vatican Evils...
Paris Arrow
Updated September 16, 2012
There was a Walk the Talk to make Bishop Finn resign today in Kansas City, see news updates below. We will see how they will succeed like us Bostonians who ousted Cardinal Bernard Law to leave Boston forever, out of sight and out of our land. The problem of course is how, the last Tsar of the Vatican, Benedict XVI will try to protect his live Achilles Heel Bishop Finn, just like John Paul II protected his Achilles Heel Cardinal Bernard Law.
There was a Walk the Talk to make Bishop Finn resign today in Kansas City, see news updates below. We will see how they will succeed like us Bostonians who ousted Cardinal Bernard Law to leave Boston forever, out of sight and out of our land. The problem of course is how, the last Tsar of the Vatican, Benedict XVI will try to protect his live Achilles Heel Bishop Finn, just like John Paul II protected his Achilles Heel Cardinal Bernard Law.
Posted by Kathy Shaw at 6:50 PM
Questions raised over Kansas City bishop's 'boys will be boys' comment
KANSAS CITY (MO)National Catholic Reporter
Aug. 31, 2012
By Joshua J. McElwee
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- When the computer systems manager of the Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocese told her bishop, Robert Finn, that she had found lewd images of children on a priest's laptop, he replied, "Sometimes boys will be boys," according to sworn testimony that appears in court documents filed Thursday.
Diocesan employee Julie Creech's statement was taken as part of a deposition included in a court filing for a lawsuit brought by two alleged victims of Fr. Shawn Ratigan, a Kansas City priest who pleaded guilty earlier this month to federal charges of producing and attempting to produce sexually graphic material of minor girls.
However, after Creech's quote was reported in local media, her lawyer said Creech refuted the statement. After the deposition, Creech realized she had "misspoken" and hoped to correct her mistake when she received a copy of the deposition to verify her testimony, said John Grombowsky, Creech's attorney.
Grombowsky said the deposition was made public before Creech had a chance to review and correct it.
Ratigan's May 2011 arrest on pornography charges raised questions about when his diocese and Finn first became aware of concerns against him. County prosecutors say both Finn and the diocese should have reported Ratigan to police as early as December 2010, when they acknowledge becoming aware of lewd images of children on his laptop.
KC diocese worker: 'Boys will be boys' a mistake
KANSAS CITY (MO)San Antonio Express-News
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An employee of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is backing away from her sworn testimony that the bishop said "boys will be boys" when told of lewd images on a priest's laptop.
The diocese's computer director, Julie Creech, said during a deposition earlier this month in a civil lawsuit that Bishop Robert Finn made the statement.
The Kansas City Star reports Friday (http://bit.ly/Px5mM9 ) that Creech's attorney now says his client had "misspoken."
MO- SNAP responds to Bishop Finn’s awful remarks
KANSAS CITY (MO)Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Dorris on August 30, 2012
What an awful, hurtful way to respond to the heinous crimes of Fr. Shawn Ratigan.
Ms. Creech was under oath and she’s an employee of Bishop Finn’s diocese. So she has no incentive whatsoever to distort Bishop Finn’s callous remarks.
And Finn’s remarks weren’t that long ago. So it’s hard to believe Ms. Creech memory is somehow blurred by the passage of time.
Much like comments by two high profile New York Catholic officials – by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, earlier this week and by Cardinal Edward Egan earlier this year – Bishop Finn’s words show how little has changed in the Catholic hierarchy when it comes to clergy sex crimes and cover ups.
Deposition: Bishop Said ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ About Pictures
KANSAS CITY (MO)Fox 4
Posted on: 9:37 pm, August 30, 2012, by Michelle Pekarsky and Robert Townsend, updated on: 10:48pm, August 30, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — According to court documents filed Thursday in Jackson County Circuit Court, an employee of the diocese stated in a deposition that she recalled Bishop Robert Finn saying “boys will be boys” during a discussion about pictures found on the computer of a priest now charged with child pornography.
Julie Creech, Director of Management and Information Systems for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, said she met with Bishop Robert Finn and expressed her concerns about the lewd images found on a laptop computer that belonged to Father Shawn Ratigan.
She gave her deposition two weeks ago in connection with a civil suit filed against Ratigan, Finn and the diocese. Creech claims when she approached Bishop Finn, the bishop replied “Sometimes priests do things they shouldn’t,” and “Sometimes boys will be boys.”
It is unclear if Bishop Finn had actually seen the images on Ratigan’s computer when he had this conversation with Creech.
New details released in church abuse case
KANSAS CITY (MO)KCTV
By Laura McCallister, Multimedia Producer
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
"Boys will be boys."
That's what the head of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese apparently said over concerns about a priest with lewd images of children on his laptop.
KCTV5's reporting partners at the Kansas City Star obtained court documents in the abuse case against Reverend Shawn Ratigan. Records said Bishop Robert Finn also said "sometimes priests do things they shouldn't."
Ratigan is accused of abusing a 9-year-old girl months after the diocese learned about the photos on the laptop. At the beginning of August, Ratigan entered a guilty plea to child pornography charges.
Finn and the diocese are facing misdemeanor charges for failing to report the suspected abuse to police.
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests or SNAP issued the following response in regards to the new details:What an awful, hurtful way to respond to the heinous crimes of Fr. Shawn Ratigan.
Ms. Creech was under oath and she's an employee of Bishop Finn's diocese. So she has no incentive whatsoever to distort Bishop Finn's callous remarks.
And Finn's remarks weren't that long ago. So it's hard to believe Ms. Creech memory is somehow blurred by the passage of time.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
By JUDY THOMAS and MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
When confronted by the diocese’s computer director about her concerns over lewd images found on a priest’s laptop, Bishop Robert Finn replied that, “Sometimes priests do things they shouldn’t,” court papers filed Thursday alleged.
“Sometimes, boys will be boys,” the bishop is purported to have said, court records show.
Julie Creech, the director of management and information systems for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, described her meeting with the bishop during an Aug. 17 deposition in a Jackson County civil case. According to that lawsuit, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan abused a 9-year-old girl months after the diocese learned of the photos on his computer.
Finn and the diocese are scheduled for a criminal trial starting Sept. 24 on misdemeanor counts of failing to report Ratigan’s suspected abuse of children. Ratigan is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in federal court earlier this month to producing and attempting to produce child pornography.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Bee
The Associated Press
Published: Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An employee of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph says the bishop commented that "boys will be boys" when he was told about lewd images of children on a priest's laptop computer.
The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/OCj2rF) reports that diocese computer director Julie Creech described her conversation with Bishop Robert Finn during an Aug. 17 deposition. A partial transcript of the deposition was filed Thursday in a civil lawsuit in Jackson County Circuit Court.
That lawsuit alleges the Rev. Shawn Ratigan abused a 9-year-old girl months after the diocese learned of the photos on his computer.
PHONY PETITION v. BISHOP FINN (VATICAN PIED PIPER BILL DONOHUE TRYING TO SALVAGE BISHOP FINN FROM RESIGNING - GO TO HELL WITH JOHN PAUL II GOLIATH-BILL!!!)
KANSAS CITY (MO)Catholic League
Bill Donohue comments on a petition drive against Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph:
Approximately 100,000 persons have signed a petition demanding the resignation of Bishop Robert Finn. It’s a phony exercise.
The petition is found on the website of change.org, home to mostly left-wing activists. Anyone can sign it—you don’t have to be Catholic or from Finn’s diocese. For example, almost 7,400 signatures were sent to the diocese, and all but approximately 150 were from outside the area. Of the signatories online, activists from foreign countries have signed. In short, there is no grassroots rebellion against Bishop Finn.
We know who Bishop Finn’s enemies are: the Kansas City Star and the National Catholic Reporter (both are located in Kansas City, Missouri). They are the real source behind this phony petition drive: Both have been beating the drum calling for Finn to resign. It is not child sexual abuse that angers them, it is where it takes place and under whose purview it is.
Thousands Sign Online Petition Urging Resignation of Bishop Finn
MISSOURISt. Joe Channel
[with video]
By: Safiya Songhai
Updated: October 1, 2012
(KANSAS CITY, Mo) He is the first leader in the Catholic Church to ever be convicted of concealing a sexual abuse crime.
Now some members of the church not only want Bishop Robert Finn to resign his position as leader of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, they are putting their names on the dotted line.
Nearly 90,000 people have signed an online petition urging Bishop Finn to resign.
The petition is posted on the website change.org and organizers hope to appeal to the top leaders of the church, all the way to Italy.
Bishop’s Conviction Affirms Church Accountability
KANSAS CITY (MO)Americans United for Separation of Church and State
October 2012
AU Bulletin
A high-ranking Kansas bishop has been convicted of failing to report suspicions of child abuse, affirming the church hierarchy’s accountability in its infamous child sex-abuse scandal.
On Sept. 6, Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, became the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official convicted as a result of the child sex-abuse scandal. Finn was found guilty because of his handling of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who stored hundreds of lewd photos of young girls on his laptop computer, the Kansas City Star said.
Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker was pleased with Finn’s conviction.
According to the Religion News Service (RNS), she said, “The bottom line today is that finding by the court, a finding of guilt, means the diocese and whoever is its leader must adhere to the very clear legal requirements regarding protection of children.”
October 4, 2012
KANSAS CITY (MO)
Radio Maria
Radio Maria
Il vescovo della diocesi di Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, Robert W. Finn, 59 anni, è il primo vescovo della Chiesa cattolica a subire una condanna per aver coperto casi di pedofilia nella sua diocesi.
Il caso, che è stato tenuto nascosto dal vescovo per oltre cinque mesi, riguarda il sacerdote Shawn Rattigan, di Independence, nel Missouri, reo confesso in un altro processo appena concluso di cinque atti di pedofilia e detenzione di materiale pedo pornografico all’interno del suo computer.
KANSAS CITY (MO)
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
By JUDY L. THOMAS
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
The legal arena has become a sort of second home to the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese — but hardly a sanctuary.
Bishop Robert Finn’s criminal misdemeanor conviction this past summer for failing to report suspected child abuse involving the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, analysts say, could dramatically undercut the diocese’s defense against mounting civil lawsuits.
More than two dozen pending cases allege offenses ranging from sexual abuse by priests to wrongful death.
The Ratigan case triggered a new wave of litigation.
“Now that Bishop Finn has (been convicted), the diocese is at absolute risk,” said Patrick Wall, a canon lawyer and former Roman Catholic priest who has worked on behalf of clergy sexual abuse victims for a decade.
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News update for March 21, 2013
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News update for March 21, 2013
Action Alert Regarding Bishop Finn, by Kristine Ward
UNITED STATES
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
Posted on March 22, 2013
The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) has taken a strong stand that it is an imperative part of true healing in the Church regarding the sexual abuse crisis that criminally convicted Bishop Robert Finn who still heads the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri must resign or be removed.
Today, we ask our readers to take action and support an email campaign that Jeff has begun in connection with a provincial meeting of all of the Roman Catholic Bishops of the dioceses in Missouri this Sunday and Monday. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of the Archdiocese of St. Louis will preside at this meeting.
The email asks Archbishop Carlson to speak with Bishop Finn during the meeting of the Roman Catholic Bishops of the dioceses in Missouri this Sunday and Monday to “counsel Bishop Finn to make the right and just decision in helping the people of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese to start the healing process by his resignation.”
Jeff’s provided the following suggested text. He encourages the writer to send his or her “own thoughtful request as this journey is a very personal one for so many.” He adds, “I understand the need to present your own words but encourage you to help me present a united front with this very important issue.”
Here is the suggested text:
Dear Archbishop Carlson,
Your Excellency, I am contacting you today with the hope that you will listen to the pleas of those in Missouri who have grievous concerns with the moral aptitude of Bishop Robert Finn to continue to lead the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. This is in regard to Bishop Finn’s conviction last fall of a misdemeanor for failure to report suspicion of child abuse as mandated by the State of Missouri.
It is my hope that you and all of the Missouri Roman Catholic Bishops take the time over the weekend to address our concerns with Bishop Finn. With the election of Pope Francis I am looking forward to a new openness in the church and the renewal of faith to do the right thing for all, especially the children; the future of our church.
NSAC believes this issue involves Catholics in and outside of Missouri.
We appreciate you as a NSAC News subscriber.
We ask for your action. The Church needs it. Children need it.
Please email now. Don’t think you’ll come back to it later today or tomorrow. Life has a funny way of coming up with all kinds of things to get you off your intended path.
It will only take a minute. Really.
It doesn’t take much. You don’t have to take a shower and get dressed, scrub a floor, shovel a driveway, go anywhere, make a speech, change clothes, find a telephone number or an email address (see above).
Please just do it.
Thank you.
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
Posted on March 22, 2013
The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) has taken a strong stand that it is an imperative part of true healing in the Church regarding the sexual abuse crisis that criminally convicted Bishop Robert Finn who still heads the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri must resign or be removed.
We admire the work that Jeff Weis, the creator of the Bishop Finn petition (www.BishopFinnPetition.com), has done. The petition currently has 111,030 signers.
The email asks Archbishop Carlson to speak with Bishop Finn during the meeting of the Roman Catholic Bishops of the dioceses in Missouri this Sunday and Monday to “counsel Bishop Finn to make the right and just decision in helping the people of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese to start the healing process by his resignation.”
Archbishop Carlson email address is: ABP@archstl.org
Here is the suggested text:
Dear Archbishop Carlson,
Your Excellency, I am contacting you today with the hope that you will listen to the pleas of those in Missouri who have grievous concerns with the moral aptitude of Bishop Robert Finn to continue to lead the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. This is in regard to Bishop Finn’s conviction last fall of a misdemeanor for failure to report suspicion of child abuse as mandated by the State of Missouri.
It is my hope that you and all of the Missouri Roman Catholic Bishops take the time over the weekend to address our concerns with Bishop Finn. With the election of Pope Francis I am looking forward to a new openness in the church and the renewal of faith to do the right thing for all, especially the children; the future of our church.
NSAC believes this issue involves Catholics in and outside of Missouri.
We appreciate you as a NSAC News subscriber.
We ask for your action. The Church needs it. Children need it.
Please email now. Don’t think you’ll come back to it later today or tomorrow. Life has a funny way of coming up with all kinds of things to get you off your intended path.
It will only take a minute. Really.
It doesn’t take much. You don’t have to take a shower and get dressed, scrub a floor, shovel a driveway, go anywhere, make a speech, change clothes, find a telephone number or an email address (see above).
Please just do it.
Thank you.
— Kristine Ward, Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition, (NSAC) KristineWard@hotmail.com
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News for December 4, 2013
MO - Victim appeals “bizarre” ruling
MISSOURISurvivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
It involves KC Catholic officials & priest
Church says it’s not responsible for crimes
Their rationale: abuse happened on private property
SNAP: “It’s perhaps the worst legal tactic by bishop ever”
For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013
For more info: David Clohessy ( 314 566 9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com ), Barbara Dorris ( 314 503 0003, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )
A man who says he was sexually assaulted as a child by a priest is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to reverse a ruling that ended his civil lawsuit against Kansas City Catholic officials. Clergy sex abuse victims called the court decision “bizarre” and are harshly criticizing Bishop Robert Finn for his defense tactics in the litigation.
Two weeks ago, a western Missouri appeals court tossed out the case of John Doe D.T. v. the Kansas City Catholic diocese and Fr. Michael Tierney. The court ruled that Catholic officials could not be held responsible for the priest’s supposed child sex crimes because they allegedly occurred on private property, not church property.
“The blame here squarely lies with Bishop Robert Finn. He could have fought this case on the merits. Instead, he’s fighting it on technicalities, and in fact, on the most absurd technicality: where Fr. Tierney and his victim were standing when Fr. Tierney sodomized the child,” said Barbara Dorris of SNAP.
“Imagine a painting company sending a known rapist out to paint your mom’s house. He rapes her. Would the painter’s boss get ‘off the hook’ because the rape wasn’t on company property?” said Dorris. “Why should the physical site of a crime enable wrongdoers who commit or conceal that crime to escape responsibility?”
According to history, iIn 1909 in Adria, Italy, “Several thousand fanatical Catholics nearly stoned their bishop to death.” What triggered this? The pope (Pius X) instructed the bishop to move the seat of the diocese to the more important city of Rovigio. One might assume the Catholic citizens of Adria felt they were losing their prominence. So, for the pelting of their prelate, the pope pronounced an interdict on Adria and the surrounding area.
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Bill Donohue a vile representation of Catholics. Stop your deflections. Deflections distract from the truth... It's called selfish-salvation http://pope-ratz.blogspot.com/2010/07/bill-donohue-vile-representation-of.html
CSC Holy Cross Congregation delay $18 million compensation payout. Brother Andre & Saint JOSEPH giant GOLDEN COW STATUES could not help victims of CSC pedophiles http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/01/csc-holy-cross-congregation-delay-18.html
People, please STOP DONATING to the ORATORY and STOP LIGHTING CANDLES to St. Joseph and instead donate your money to Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, your local charities, and the homeless shelters of Montreal. God will listen more to your prayers in your acts of charity because they are better than material candles and money you give to the wealthy billionaire CSC religious Holy Cross family of Saint Brother Andre. If you were to face Christ on Judgement Day today, He will not ask you how many candles you have lit at the Oratory of St. Joseph, but how many poor people you have helped, as He has said, “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, that you have also done to Me.”
ZEUS GIANT SAINT JOSEPH did NOTHING to stop pedophile priests of the Congregation de Sainte-Croix happening right before his very eyes for 50 yearsIf you live in Los Angeles, or elsewhere in the USA or in the world, and are planning a “pilgrimage” to the Oratory of St. Joseph or flying to the Vatican, DON'T GO and instead DONATE that pilgrimage money to the Red Cross or your local charity - or sponsor a poor student and pay for his or her school supplies and school lunch for a year, or feed a homeless person for a year at McDonald's, instead of flying to Montreal to see the Oratory or the Vatican Mammon Beast - and God will listen more to your prayers in your act of mercy rather feeding the Vatican Mammon Beast or St. Joseph Oratory Mammon Beast copying the Vatican Titanic sinking in moral bankruptcy. http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2012/12/oratory-of-st-joseph-copy-vatican.html
Children are better sex educated reading the Los Angles files rather than wasting their time to attend the wizardry of the Mass where priests ceaselessly reiterate those old horrid stories of extinct people in the Bible, read here the Immoral Bible http://pope-ratz.blogspot.ca/2010_12_01_archive.html.
BOYCOTT Oratory of Saint Joseph! CANDLES to giant Zeus statues of St. Joseph and Brother Andre cannot protect children from CSC pedophiles
http://popecrimes.blogspot.ca/2013/01/boycott-oratory-of-saint-joseph-candles.html
Vatican Billions: its history, sources, and assets today worldwide. BOYCOTT the Vatican Museum and boycott ALL donations to the Vatican Catholic Church Reign of Terror
Vatican Billions: its history, sources, and assets today worldwide. BOYCOTT the Vatican Museum and boycott ALL donations to the Vatican Catholic Church Reign of Terror
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