KCUR Throws Softballs for the New Bishop and The Catholic Church

The local NPR station, KCUR interviewed the new Catholic Bishop, James Johnston today and what a disappointment.

Leading The Flock: Bishop Johnston 

KCUR

Coming at this time, when the local Catholic Diocese is just off a rather large child abuse sex scandal, the Bishop--and worse, the Church--got off easy, very easy. All the Bishop got for an hour were the easiest of, as I said in the title, "softball" questions. There was no "holding their feet to the fire", holding the Bishop and the Church accountable that, first, the sexual abuse of children in their care ever occurred and then, worse, that it was covered up. And it was covered up for years and years, at that.

The interview began hopefully enough with a recording of Catholics in an actual mass at the local Church of the Immaculate Conception, reading the written words of some of the now-adults who had been abused by the Priests here in this Diocese.

But from there, it was lost.

It was as though these children weren't ever abused, sexually abused.

Forget that the previous Bishop had been found guilty in a local, civil court, "LET'S MOVE ON!"

From there, the interviewer, Brian Ellison, immediately went into questions about the Bishop himself, where he came from, what his background and family life were like, etc.

Students? Children? Sexually abused??   FUGGEDABOUDIT!

Adults? In the Church? Covering up for the sexual abusers??   WE OUTTA' HEAH.

I can't imagine a more touchy-feely interview and conversation, given that so many children were, again, abused and sexually abused and by Catholic Church Priests and then covered up by some and ignored by others, all in the Catholic Church.

And sure, I understand that there has to be some "niceness", some respect to the guest but we're talking the sexual abuse of children here. It isn't over. Bishop Finn may have finally been foisted, however reluctantly, out of his position in and with the Church and Bishop Johnston  is now in his place but for the people who were sexually abused, rest assured, it is not over.

The biggest question, I think, that needs to be both asked and answered and then held to, would be "What provisions have been made within the Church and within this Diocese to make sure sexual abuse of a child and worse, of children, never occurs again?"

It's true partly because this sexual abuse occurred at all but it's especially true because this is far, far from the first time these kinds of sexual abuse cases have occurred in the Catholic Church. Far from it.

Sexual abuse has occurred in Catholic Churches and schools and Dioceses, as the world knows, in not just areas, not just states of the US, but all across the US, all across Europe and, in fact, the world.  And it's happened over not just years or part of a century but FOR CENTURIES. Literally for centuries. They don't like to talk about that or have you know it or think about it.

At what point does the Catholic Church learn? At what point do the Bishops and Priests and leaders in the Church learn from these abuses and put policies in place so they never occur again? (Reminds me of an old joke.  Q:  How many Catholics does it take to change a light bulb?  A:  CHANGE??)

Next was the question:  "How are you going to clean up the mess he's (Bishop Finn has) left?"

For his answer, the new Bishop gave an extremely vague and, I'm sure, intentionally warm and fuzzy answer about there being lots of people in the area who care and who have "a desire to make a difference."

That was it.

They then brought on one Kathleen Chastain, Victim Services Coordinator of the Church.

And for that, I say we have to pause right there.

Note:  This is a church. This is a Catholic Church. It's supposed to be about Jesus and Jesus Christ and love and everything good and they have to have a Victim Services Coordinator, Offices of Child and Youth Protection.

Does that not say something right there?

What other church organization, self-professed Christian or otherwise, has to have a Victim Services Coordinator, let alone Offices of Child and Youth Protection?   (Those Catholics can sure do hierarchy and bureaucracy, can't they? Like no one else, governments included).

So Mr. Ellison asked Ms. Chastain how long her position has been around. Ms. Chastain answered that "...there has always been a Victim Advocate..."

Holy Mary, Mother of God.

That tells you how long the problem has been going on right there, folks. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VICTIM ADVOCATE.  But you think they'd maybe let Priests marry or something, to solve the problem?

NAAAAHHHH.  Again, FUGGEDABOUDIT.

Forget that, apparently and even obviously, the "Victim Advocate" has little or no power or effect whatever or the problem wouldn't keep not just occurring in the Church but recurring.

What amazes me is that more Catholics aren't embarrassed by child sexual abuse in the Church.

The other thing that amazes me is that Catholics stay in the pews, they stay in the Church, even given all these, again, recurring sexual abuse cases of children.     CHILDREN.

Ms. Chastain said her job "is to provide support for those suffering from abuse by the hands of the Church"--her words, not mine--"and then to provide outreach."   She described "outreach" as  "a more pro-active approach like the healing services we provide...". This is masses dealing with this issue of child sexual abuse.

Can you imagine that? Think about it. Can you imagine going to Church, ostensibly to be a better person, maybe to hear about God and Jesus and God's love and everything good and then HAVING TO SIT THROUGH AN ALMOST ONE HOUR MASS, kind of confessing THE CHURCH'S SINS, the Priests and Bishops sins and then going home? How screwed up is your Church if it's asking for forgiveness? And then, how screwed up is your Church when it has to ask the people for forgiveness again and again and again, in different locations, all round your nation, all around the world and for centuries?  And you're still attending?  You're still giving them money?

OH HELL NO.

Mr. Ellison asked Ms. Chastain if the local Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese ever put an actual figure on the number of people sexually abused here.

The answer?   No.

Oh, heck, no because that would mean, a) you care and b) you intend to own up to your problems and faults and make restitution. The Catholic Church and their leaders will have none of that. They've already paid out millions upon millions of Church offerings from people in the pews. The last thing they want to do is maybe "come clean", at long last, and risk paying out yet more money.  "Run along, run along. There's nothing to see here."

Ms. Chastain actually said "I don't know if there's any way we could put a number to that." That is, put a number on the actual childen---again, children---who were sexually abused in this Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese.

Isn't that a beauty?

The one question I wanted to hear both asked and answered was and still is---What, precisely, reforms and hard rules have been put down to make certain this never, ever happens again?

It was never asked.

For anyone who's ever been a Catholic and exposed to what they do, this is all pretty stunning because the one thing they make you do and say, week after week, in their Catholic Mass, is that we are "not worthy."

Jesus (said ironically and for effect).  That's rich.  They have sexual abuse scandals of children in their own care, from state to state to state and nation to nation, continent to continent, over decades and even centuries and they have the people in the pews, the followers, say they're "not worthy."  Irony and hypocrisy doesn't get any heavier or thicker than that.

Then Mr. Ellison compliments Ms. Chastain and so, by default, the Church by saying she and the Church deserve credit for being so forthcoming "about how things were not addressed in the past."

That's pretty clueless right there.  So they're talking "honestly and openly about how things were not addressed in the past."  Big deal.  WHAT, PRECISELY, ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE SURE THIS DOESN'T, THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN?

Then Mr. Ellison asks when this change took place.

Wow.  That so totally does not matter. The only three things that matter are holding people accountable that let this happen to begin, the tending to the abused and then MAKING SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. Who gives a freak when this change, this new supposed honestly took place? That's irrelevant. Again, it's a softball, pointless, unnecessary question.

Mr. Ellison came close, close, to holding the new Bishop and the Church accountable, a little over halfway through when he pointed out that SNAP said the Church's services about these episodes were only, in effect, "window dressing" (my words) and for outward consumption, that they weren't real contrition or solutions. The Bishop quickly diverted the question by saying he was sincerely sorry and that if anyone doubted it, he couldn't stop them.

Well I'm glad he cleared that up.

"We're done here."

Mr. Ellison asked just what a Bishop does all day.  Man, that is some hard-hitting question, right there. This entire conversation was dripping with, again, irony and hypocrisy on the part of the Catholic Church.

From there, it went on to questions from the callers and to "looking to the future", according to Mr. Ellison. The first caller, a Catholic, he said, tried to pin the Bishop down on the Bishops in the Church, through the Council of Bishops (see? more of that wonderful Catholic bureaucracy) holding individual Bishops accountable for their actions. It came close to the issues but that was as good as it got.

Look, I love NPR and KCUR but this interview went off the rails from the start and ended that way. It was weak and soft and empty. At the end, I'm surprised all three of them, the interviewer, the Bishop and the "Vitcim Advocate" didn't all get up, hold each other and sing "Kumbaya."

I'm just glad that Bishop Finn and now Bishop Johnston and all the Catholic leaders, nationwide and worldwide, were all able to sweep all this child sexual abuse stuff under the rug and move on.

Aren't you?

Links:

Missouri bishop to succeed Bishop Finn in Kansas City-St. Joseph

Left hanging in the wake of Bishop Finn's ouster

Francis appoints new bishop for scandal-rocked US diocese

Kansas City diocese holds service for sexual abuse healing

Catholic bishop apologizes for 'betrayal' of sexual abuse

Kansas City bishop found guilty in priest child abuse case

Kansas City Bishop Convicted of Shielding Pedophile Priest

KC Catholics in NY Times this morning

Actually the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic diocese, taking a hit:

Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to Pay for Failure to Report Abuse

CHICAGO — A Roman Catholic diocese in Missouri has been ordered to pay $1.1 million to victims of sexual abuse for breaking its promises on improving the way it deals with abuse cases.

An arbitrator ruled that the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is responsible for damages after concluding that, contrary to a prior agreement, it did not promptly report a priest who had taken hundreds of pornographic photographs of young girls, according to a filing in circuit court in Jackson County, Mo.

The case grew out of a $10 million settlement with abuse victims in 2008, under which the bishop, Robert Finn, promised that he would report those suspected of child abuse to law enforcement officials in the future. At the time, Bishop Finn said in a statement that he agreed to rules “that should assure our community, our congregation and our families that the diocese will continue in its exercise of vigilance and in its devotion to training and education so that we may be confident that there will never, ever be a repeat of the behaviors, the offenses or the claims that have been associated with this matter.”

But the 18-page court filing says that promise was violated in 2010 in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a diocesan priest who was discovered with hundreds of photographs of girls, including so-called upskirt images, on his laptop. Although the presence of the computer images was reported to church officials, law enforcement authorities were not notified.

And here is where it gets good, at least to me and some of us:

In 2012, Bishop Finn was found guilty of one misdemeanor charge for failing to report Father Ratigan, who was arrested in 2011 and pleaded guilty the next year to child pornography charges. He was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.

So, okay, sure, today we find the local Catholic diocese is fined another $1.1 million. Fine.

What seems the more important, bigger, still-pending issue is that one man, one Bishop Robert Finn was, as a reminder, found guilty in a public court AND HE STILL HAS HIS SAME JOB IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Is that a great organization or what?

In what other organization, what company, do you think you could be found derelict in the completion of your duties and still have your same job?

And it's not as though he was some lowly janitor or something. He was entrusted to protect the people of the diocese, especially and particularly the students, the children of that same diocese.

So I ask you, especially you Catholics out there:

Why does Bishop Robert Finn still have his job?

And why do you allow this?

More Catholic priests: This is weird

Did you see the article in the Star today, telling of the local increase in candidates for the Catholic priesthood, bucking national trends otherwise?

More area Catholic ordinations challenge a national trend

In Missouri and Kansas, more men are being ordained or studying to become priests.

And why wouldn't these young men choose the Catholic priesthood? Look at all the benefits.

--free housing

--bills paid

--education paid for, once you're in

--people shower you with gifts and praise nearly no matter what kind of job you really do

--no matter your ability, you can always, always give other people advice on their lives--even their marriages--even though you've never been and never will be married

And the biggest reason to become a Catholic priest was just witnessed by all of us when Bishop Finn got off, one more time, in a court of law from any responsiblity for not doing what you would otherwise have to do if you were a layperson.

Face it--become a priest, become above the law.

Such a deal.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/10/3808061/more-area-catholic-ordinations.html

Further proof of why Bishop Finn and the Catholic hierarchy need to be held accountable

It just never ends with these people.

From SNAP today:

--Accused priest now runs women’s shelterHe is being sued for raping a teenaged KC girl

--Victims urge bishops to “stop him & warn others”

--In 2010, cleric was named in a “horrific” abuse & cover up case

--He’s worked in at least ten locations throughout Western MO

A Kansas City Catholic priest who is being sued for raping a teenaged girl reportedly now runs a shelter for abused women and their families in his Nevada home. “For the sake of public safety,” clergy sex abuse victims are urging two bishops to stop him and warn others about him.

Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are urging the bishops of Kansas City and Reno to “take simple, common sense prevention steps” to keep Fr. Thomas J. Cronin away from “innocent children and vulnerable adults.”

Fr. Cronin, a Kansas City native who was sent to Nevada about 15 years ago, is accused in an Oct. 2010 lawsuit of repeatedly raping a 17 year old girl in 1979 in western Missouri. That suit is still pending.

SNAP is contacting Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn and Reno Bishop Randolph Calvo, begging them to force Fr. Cronin to sever all ties to the shelter. And SNAP wants both bishops to use parish bulletins, church websites, and pulpit announcements to warn the public and parishioners about him.

“This is a violation of common sense, common decency, the church's abuse policy and both bishops' promises,” said Barbara Dorris of SNAP. “Catholic officials have repeatedly pledged - verbally and in writing - to protect youngsters. But here two bishop are letting a credibly accused sex offender priest put himself around the same kinds of girls and young women he is accused of raping.”

Fr. Cronin lives at 143 Desert Lakes Rd. (on the edge of a golf course) in Fernley and lists the same address as the site of “Rachel’s Sanctuary,” which he evidently founded.

Until the 2010 suit, Fr. Cronin had never been publicly accused of child sex crimes before.

According to the 34 page suit, through confession, Fr. Cronin learned that the girl had been abused by a relative. Later, he manipulated and molested her as many as ten times. “Multiple priests and lay persons (knew) that (another priest) and Cronin were sexually abusing children, providing liquor to children and spending inordinate amounts of time with children,” the suit maintains.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and was filed in Jackson County Missouri Circuit Court. Three weeks after it was filed, Calvo still had not suspended Cronin, until SNAP drew public attention to the litigation and Cronin’s presence in Nevada.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2010/09_10/2010_10_23_Bellisle_BishopSays.htm

Cronin worked in at least four Missouri towns (Blue Springs, Hamilton, Gallatin, Higginsville, and Kansas City) and several chaplaincies (at Children’s Mercy, Truman Medical Center, Western Missouri Mental Health Center, Charlotte Extended Care Center, University of Missouri-Kansas City Dentistry School, and the University School of Medicine).

Cronin was ordained in 1969 and was sent to Nevada in the late 1990s. He was a realtor from 2004-09 and has claimed he is a "chaplain" for the Lyon County Sheriff's Department. A photo of Cronin is available at BishopAccountability.org/. His phone number is listed as 775 575-9500 and his email address is tomcronin@prodigy.net.

Want some real, ugly irony? Here you go:

Rachel's Sanctuary is a tax-deductible 501(c)3 non-profit. Its board includes several Fernley residents.

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20060920/REGION/109200040

http://www.nvannualreport.com/entities-DNPCC-RACHELS-SANCTUARY-INC.aspx

Cronin has worked in Reno (St. Therese Church of the Little Flower, 1997-99), Fernley (St. Robert Bellarmine, 1999-04), Empire (St. Joseph the Worker, 1999-04), and Virginia City (St. Mary of the Mountains, 2009-10). From 1997-99, he was also a chaplain at Washoe Medical Center, now Renown Regional Medical Center, in Reno.

SNAP is also urging anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered Cronin’s crimes to speak up, expose wrongdoing, protect others and start healing.

“It’s clear that both bishops are doing little or nothing to monitor or supervise Fr. Cronin or alert the parishioners or the public about the serious allegations against him,” said Dorris of SNAP. “So it falls to the rest of us – especially those with information or suspicions about Fr. Cronin’s crimes – to spread the word and protect others.”

Holding signs and childhood photos, SNAP members are holding a sidewalk news conference today in Reno outside the diocesan headquarters.

The victim is represented by Kansas City attorney Rebecca Randles (816 931 9901, 816 510 2704 cell), who has handled dozens of clergy sex abuse and cover up suits.

The victim in this suit, who now lives outside Missouri, repressed memory of the crimes until 2009, the suit says.

A copy of the letter SNAP is sending today to both bishops is available upon request.

For more information: David Clohessy 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com

On why I rail against the abusers in the Catholic Church

This is an example of why:

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

--Elie Wiesel, from his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, in 1986

Link: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1986/wiesel-acceptance.html

Bishop Finn: Our institutions fail us again

Justice was done but only partly and then weakly, weakly at that.

Our institutions fail us, once again. In this case, two of them--these people's Catholic Church and our court system.

From the Kansas City Star this afternoon:

Bishop Finn verdict: Guilty

As you can see, I'm happy with this, with the one guilty verdict but still, Judge John Torrence "... acquitted him on another count of failing to report."

Here's the other disappointing thing:

"Torrence sentenced Finn to two years of probation then suspended the sentence, meaning that if Finn completes the unsupervised probation without any new incidents happening, his criminal record will be expunged."

This is so disgusting.

To begin, it should have gone to a jury, to a juried trial.

I saw this little figurative slap on the wrist coming.

I'm disgusted.

Isn't it super that Catholic leaders have gotten off easy one more time and they're free--still--to molest or sexually or physically abuse the students--their children--in their own schools and churches still longer?

They'll never learn, at this rate.

To Judge John Torrence and the Catholic Church--you all disgust me.

You deserve each other.

Congratulations to all Catholics.

To our disgust--but not our surprise--you get to keep your male hierarchy that keeps molesting and abusing your own children:

A) We hope you're happy;

B) We can't believe you keep giving these people money;

C) We can't believe you still support these people in any form, verbal, financial or otherwise and finally,

D) Unless and until you stand up, speak up and demand this end--including getting the resignation or firing of Bishop Finn--you are culpable for what Bishop Finn, Shawn Ratigan and all the rest of the people like them have inflicted and for what they will continue to inflict into the future on your children, because it will surely continue to keep happening, as we see time and again, across the nation and world.

Seriously, y'all are disgusting, vile, enabling human beings.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/06/3800269/bishop-finn-verdict-guilty.html

SNAP urges no sentencing for bishop today

Direct from their email:

Victims write to the judge and the prosecutor"

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.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, have been hurt by Bishop Finn’s wrongdoing. Victims include families hurt by Fr Ratigan, other clergy sex abuse victims, and devout but betrayed Catholics. As victims of Bishop Finn’s crimes they deserve a chance to be heard before the bishop's sentence is determined.

Fast-tracking his trial is bad enough. Fast-tracking his sentence is even worse. The justice system should not be abused for the convenience or protection of a powerful wrongdoer.

One reason child sex abuse victims stay silent is because they have seen predators and their allies get preferential treatment by authority figures. Many victims are hopeless and feel if they speak up, somehow, wrongdoers will still escape punishment, get privileges and future crimes will not be deterred. Please do not exacerbate the hopelessness many victims feel. Please do not show such favor to Finn and thereby rub even more salt into the already deep and still-fresh wounds of those he has hurt. Please give them the opportunity, another crime victims have, to express their views, in court, after his plea, at a later date before sentencing is determined.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Barbara Dorris
SNAP Outreach Director

Bishop Finn---Going down?

Wow.

The Star really had a scoop today. They posted this story (link below) online this afternoon:

'Boys will be boys,' Bishop Finn purportedly said after being told of priest's lewd photos

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.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/30/3787983/boys-will-be-boys-finn-purportedly.html#storylink=cpy

That seems like quite the "smoking gun" in the Bishop's case. The prosecutors now have, it seems, something in which they can prove he knew of the pictures on former priest Shawn Ratigan's computer and that he did nothing of it.

All this in spite of the fact, too, that the Bishop and the Catholic Church in this diocese swore, last time this happened--the last time there were Catholic schoolchildren found to be sexually molested or exploited--that they would do everything possible to look into the situation but to also turn it over to the police to investigate.

Unfortunately for Bishop Finn, that ain't all. There's also this:

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...

According to the study, prepared by former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves, Creech examined Ratigan’s laptop on Dec. 16, 2010, and discovered hundreds of disturbing photographs of young children, primarily girls. That evening, Creech called vicar general Robert Murphy and advised him to call police, the study said. The diocese did not report the suspected abuse until May 2011.

This flies in the face of everything Bishop Finn has said, to date.

This certainly doesn't look good from the Bishop's point of view, for sure.

I'm not assuming he's guilty, in spite of all we've learned from the documents and facts printed in the Star and reported in the media so far. It's up to the court and the defense attorneys and prosecution to come to a conclusion.

But the fact is, if Bishop Finn is guilty in this situation--and it has looked as though he is for a long, long time, since the reports broke, he and the Catholic Church let those children and their families down and he should be held accountable.

We shall see what we shall see.

Side note: It seems a bit tacky if not out-and-out tawdry that the advertisement at the bottom of the online page for the Star I saw had an add for mattresses. It seems in poor taste, at least, for what it's worth.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/30/3787983/boys-will-be-boys-finn-purportedly.html

Bishop Finn's defense attorneys swing for the fences

Did you see this article in the Star yesterday?

Lawyers for bishop, KC diocese want some evidence kept out of trial

Attorneys for Bishop Robert Finn and diocese make the argument in a pre-trial motion.

It's no surprise, really. The more the Bishop's attorneys keep out of the court, the more likely they are to be able to keep him out of the slammer and serving time as so many of us think he should, given his lack of responsibility and criminal betrayal of the children in their schools.

There are parts, however, that I find particularly egregious if not out-and-out disgusting.

The first is that they want to see to it that they keep material from the Shawn Ratigan trial out of his own trial. They're trying to make sure that "even if the evidence establishes that other diocesan employees described images discovered on the Ratigan computer to Bishop Finn, there is still no evidence to indicate that Bishop Finn read the memo or saw the images,' the motion states."

It seems Bishop Finn wants to get off scot-free in all aspects and claim he had absolutely no responsibilities to these children/students of the church.

Here's what's worst of the entire case and article, at least to me, however:

The motion also seeks to exclude another memo, written in May 2010 by the school principal at the Northland parish where Ratigan was pastor, that raised concerns about Ratigan’s behavior toward children. The memo predates the alleged criminal conduct for which the bishop and diocese are being tried, and Finn never saw or read the memo, the defense says.

This letter that the principal wrote and sent was, as I understand it, from an earlier article in the Star, sent directly to Bishop Finn. If that's the case, it seems difficult to believe that his assistant, Monsignor Murphy, was to intercept his letters and that he did so in this case.

All this said, we have a few things going in our favor on this whole mess, to see to it Bishop Finn is held responsible for the failure of his duties:

--Shawn Ratigan finally, finally admitted guilt in his own case and

--the Cardinal's aide, back East, was found guilty in his case (see link below) and there are some similarities in Bishop Finn's and this one.

Here's hoping justice is truly served here, in this case.

More importantly--much more importantly--here's hoping that, one day soon, Catholic school children will no longer be ignored or denied, let alone sexually or physically abused.


Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/20/3770769/lawyers-for-bishop-kc-diocese.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/us/philadelphias-msgr-william-j-lynn-is-convicted-of-allowing-abuse.html?pagewanted=all

Great news on the Catholic front!

Breaking news from The New York Times:

Archbishop’s Aide Guilty of Endangerment in Abuse Case

Here's why it's big news:

PHILADELPHIA – In the first criminal conviction of a Roman Catholic Church official in the United States for covering up sexual abuses, Msgr. William J. Lynn was found guilty Friday of endangering children by allowing a known pedophile priest to continue ministering to youths, resulting in an assault on a 10-year-old boy.

The first time in the US that a criminal conviction of a Roman Catholic Church official is upheld for covering up sexual abuse. As an aside, the current situation of former priest Shawn Ratigan and Bishop Finn is mentioned, too, briefly, at the end of the article, not surprisingly.

And I only "celebrate" it if, in fact, he was guilty, as it seems he was. I am not taking any pleasure in his guilt, to be clear. I am only glad justice is being served if an injustice was done.

I hope this isn't a case of having "thrown the 'little guy' under the bus", however.

Anyway, the thing is, as I have said here before several times and as SNAP repeats, too--we must stop child and student abuse--sexual, physical, emotional or otherwise--wherever it is and it has been prevalent in Catholic institutions for decades and centuries, across the world, unfortunately and sadly. It must stop.

What must stop, too, is the Catholic Church's attempts, repeatedly, to protect their male hierarchy and leaders, at the expense of their members and students and children. That's disgusting.

Now, hopefully this case will serve as a sort of precedent for Bishop Finn's case, here in our area.

If Bishop Finn is, in fact, guilty, as, I and so many of us think and believe the hard evidence shows, may he, too, be brought to justice.

Frankly, from the information on the case against both Shawn Ratigan and Bishop Finn, the case here in Kansas City seems far more clear-cut, simple and uncomplicated and possibly damning against both of them, than this case in Philadelphia.

Again, let me be clear, I say this not for anyone to extract any revenge or retribution but so the abuse of children or, in fact, anyone in the Catholic Church or any organization, stops. It must be clear that all of us--our society--does not allow this to happen in hopes that it will at least decrease, if not stop altogether and as soon as possible.

Here's hoping.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/us/philadelphias-msg-william-j-lynn-is-convicted-of-allowing-abuse.html?_r=1&smid=fb-share

Why The Star and SNAP are right about this Catholic Church Abuse Scandal with Bishop Finn

The reasons why our own Kansas City Star and SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) is correct, to date, about Bishop Finn, the Catholic Church and the abuse charges against this Bishop are because, first, the Star is merely reporting things as and when they happen. It's called reporting. It's what they're supposed to do.

Should they take editorial stands on it?

Sure they should. It is, after all, adults sexually and/or physically abusing the students--children--they are supposed to be otherwise responsible for. That and they're from their own churches and schools. What other stand should any people or organization take?

As for SNAP? Same thing. They're trying to see to it that the sexual and physical abuse of students--children--isn't left unpunished so that it doesn't take place any longer.

So the Catholic Church and their attorneys have done their best to intimidate SNAP by asking the courts to take their files.

Crazy but not a huge surprise. It is, after all, the law firm's goal to win the case, whatever ugliness that might entail.

But, in spite of that, the latest news today on this scandal vindicates, I think, both SNAP and the Star. It is this:

Prosecutor wants new charge against Bishop Finn, diocese in failure to report child abuse case --Mark Morris, The Kansas City Star (link at bottom)

The new charges would not allege any new facts about conduct attributable to either Finn or the diocese. Rather, the new charges would subdivide the existing charges into two distinct periods in which Finn and the diocese allegedly should have reported Ratigan to state child abuse and neglect investigators.

The first period would cover Dec. 17, 2010, to Feb. 10, 2011, when the church learned of the photographs, Ratigan attempted suicide and he was sent for medical treatment.

The second period would begin on Feb. 11, 2011, the date Finn sent Ratigan a letter outlining restrictions on his conduct and May 18, after Murphy notified police.

Additionally--and this seems logical and like a good move to me, knowing what we do of the case and the events to date--they've added this:

"Prosecutors also have asked a judge to approve a massive request for records from the diocese’s so-called 'secret archive' detailing the diocese’s responses to child abuse allegations both before and after Finn began serving in Kansas City in May 2004."

In the first place, Finn's attorneys did this to SNAP so turnabout is fair play but far more importantly, if the Church and their offices have any such "secret archive", it should naturally come out to the light of day so the prosecutors know what they're dealing with.

The last word on this case and all others facing the Catholic Church is that this abuse--sexual, physical and any and all other--must, at long last, end after all these centuries and continents, literally, once and for all.

Hopefully that day is coming soon. Hopefully that day is nearly here.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/07/3599367/prosecutor-wants-new-charge-against.html

Great news on Bishop Finn and justice

Breaking news today tells that the Federal Judge in the Bishop Finn case here in town is going forward: Judge refuses to drop charges against U.S. Catholic bishop (Reuters) - A Catholic bishop in Kansas City must stand trial on charges that he failed to report a priest found with pornographic pictures of young girls on his church computer to police, a judge said on Thursday. Bishop Robert Finn, head of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, faces one misdemeanor charge that he failed to tell authorities that church officials had found disturbing pictures of unclothed little girls that appeared to have been taken by a popular local priest, Father Shawn Ratigan. His trial is set to start September 24." And that's good news, for sure. The right thing needs to happen here and this is the beginning of that. Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/09/us-usa-bishop-trial-idUSBRE8380LQ20120409

High hopes for Bishop Finn's day in court

Yes, we have high hopes that Bishop Finn's day in court for him, his church and the very protective and male hierarchy in the Catholic Church finally, finally get held responsible both for the students, the children that are supposed to be in their care and for the laws they are supposed to follow. There's a great article in a St. Louis newspaper today: High stakes for church in case against KC bishop. "The charge is only a misdemeanor, but if prosecutors are able to win a conviction against Kansas City Roman Catholic Bishop Robert Finn, they could be opening up a whole new front in the national priest abuse crisis. Finn is accused of violating Missouri's mandatory reporter law by failing to tell state officials about hundreds of images of suspected child pornography found on the computer of a priest in his diocese. Experts say a criminal conviction against Finn, the highest-ranking church official charged with shielding an abusive priest, could embolden prosecutors elsewhere to more aggressively pursue members of the church hierarchy who try to protect offending clergy." (Link to original story at bottom). And let's hope this is exactly what happens. That is, that the court finds that Bishop Finn didn't, in fact, follow the law--that he broke it--by not reporting Shawn Ratigan (since he clearly didn't) and that they find him guilty. In the first place, that's exactly what happened and in the second place, it's long since time this stopped. It's so important to remember, too, that THE REASON THIS LAW WAS CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS BECAUSE OF THE LAST CATHOLIC SEX ABUSE SCANDAL, too. It's obscene. It's unconscionable. It has to stop and here and now is a great place to get it to stop. Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/high-stakes-for-church-in-case-against-kc-bishop/article_71719047-24f4-504f-aa69-ecb7cb913734.html#ixzz1qEmYrJb2

Congratulations to Bishop Finn and the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese

Yes, many congratulations! Bishop Finn's getting charged with crimes for not obeying Missouri law is the number 3 big religion news story of 2011, according to leading religion journalists. The Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) poll their members each year and this is what they came up with: "3. Catholic Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City, Mo., is charged with failure to report the suspected abuse of a child, becoming the first active bishop in the country to face criminal prosecution in such a case." I'd like to take a moment here to congratulate Bishop Finn, the local Diocese and the entire Catholic Church for this award. Without your repeatedly allowing children to be exploited, whether with pictures or sexually, you wouldn't have gotten this notoreity. Now, for 2012, here's hoping Bishop Finn's being found guilty and sent to jail (prison) will be the number one story of the upcoming year. That way, maybe, just maybe, one day this abuse will one day soon cease. Here's hoping. Links: http://www.rna.org/news/79176/2011-Top-10-Religion-Stories-of-the-Year.htm;http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/bin-ladens-death-rated-top-religion-news-story/2011/12/14/gIQA4C6OuO_story.html

Note to Bishop Finn: See? This is how it's done

Word is out today that yet another Bishop of the Catholic Church is stepping down from his post in Ireland, on the heels of yet another sexual abuse case there: Pope accepts resignation of another Irish bishop "DUBLIN (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday accepted the resignation of another Irish bishop, leaving seven of Ireland's 26 Catholic dioceses without one and raising expectations of major cutbacks in the size of the Irish church following child-abuse scandals...Hegarty also is expected to feature in an upcoming church-authorized investigation into the cover-up of clerical child abuse in Hegarty's previous diocese, Raphoe." So, you see, Bishop Finn? That's how it's done. That's how you could--and should--do it. It can be done. And you know? The sooner would be the better, too. Just saying. Link to original post: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-accepts-resignation-another-irish-bishop-131050183.html

The world gone mad

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has pointed out--rightly, it seems--that Bishop Finn and the local Catholic Diocese may challenge US pornography laws in their defense of Shawn Ratigan and the Bishop. Talk about a world gone mad. The Catholic Church, going against the nation's pornography laws, all so they can try to defend a former priest who, it is known, took terribly inappropriate pictures of young and very young children in local Parishes he worked for and then stored those on his computers. All this was revealed in a brif article in the Kansas City Star Friday (see link below). It's bad enough yet another in a long line of Catholic priests has abused his positionn and exploited childern who were entrusted to him. It's yet another bizarre twist to think that this church organization would fight the nation's pornography laws that were designed to protect all our citizens, but especially the children, and instead, that this church would fight to tear those laws down, all so it could save itself and one of its priests and the church's hierarchy. A topsy-turvy world gone mad. It makes me nearly nauseous. Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/11/3271959/mark-morris-digesting-the-legal.html; http://www.snapnetwork.org/_bishop_to_challenge_us_child_porn_laws_snap_responds

Kansas City Diocese headlines in big Catholic news

There is a cureent events humorist, one Yonah Ward Grossman, whom I follow on Facebook who also happens to have a photoblog. A recent entry highlights some Catholic Church "wins", in spite of the fact that the Catholics involved end up "losing". The Kansas City mention: "In Kansas City, Mo., our old friend Robert W. Finn cut a deal with prosecutors to avoid a second round of criminal charges and possible jail time in connection with his cover-up of priest Shawn Rattigan’s unholy habit of taking photographs of prepubescent girls’ private parts which he stored on the Church’s computer. Bishop Finn will have to report weekly to said prosecutor to detail every suspicious episode involving abuse of a child in his diocese for the next 5-years, although Bishop Finn had already agreed to do this in writing, but failed, leaving his shutterbug priest to abuse more children after the photographs were discovered. So far bishops of Catholic diocese have cut deals to avoid similar prosecution in Manchester, N.H., Phoenix, Az, Santa Rosa, Ca, and Boston, Mass." The good news? We got yet more coverage of the travesty that is this local situation. The bad news? These people will, likely, get away with their further sexual abuse of the children in their own churches they were to be guiding, mentoring and teaching--children that should have been protected by these "leaders". Link: http://www.ywgrossman.com/photoblog/?p=2165

Once again, If you're Catholic, sexual abuse of children is a-okay!

I said it here before, at least a few times--if you're some Catholic leader of virtually any kind and you sexually abuse a child, a student, say, in a Catholic school, chances are you're going to get away with it. And that, ladies and gentlemen, amazingly enough--to some of us, anyway--is EXACTLY what happened yet again, today, for one Bishop Finn who broke the law by not reporting sexual abuse but, lo and behold, he got away with it and got off virtually scot-free, too. You know the headline, likely. This one is from The Kansas City Star this afternoon: Bishop Finn avoids indictment by entering diversion program Bishop Finn gets to report in--in the future--for the next five years, once a month, and tell what he knows about any possible NEW sexual abuse or misconduct cases so he's off the hook. He gets away with breaking the law. Never mind that he didn't report that last sexual abuse case of Shawn Ratigan. Forget that. Let's just all go forward from here, eh? Makes you want to be a Catholic, doesn't it? Well, almost. This is the most egregious abuse of justice and travesty of this entire school, church and justice system I can imagine. Bishop Finn has no shame at all. How disgusting. How revolting. What's that old quote? You know, the one from the Bible? Oh, yeah, it's this one: "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." --Luke 17:2, King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.). If you weren't disgusted, you should be now, regardless of religion but especially if you're a practicing Catholic. Shame on you, Bishop Finn. If there were a hell, there should be an especially hot place in it for you. But at the same time, congratulations--you broke the law, you let down the children in three different schools in the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, protected yourself, the Catholic hierarchy (read: your own butt) and the Catholic Church (sort of, in a sick twisted way we won't continue to tolerate), all at once. With this line of thinking, Jerry Sandusky should be able to get off easily over at Penn State, no matter what he did in those showers with those 10 year old boys, shouldn't he, Bishop? Maybe you can go help him with his case. For once I thought the right thing was going to finally happen, here. Sadly, it didn't and won't. Having said all this, there's only one thing left to say or think and that is that Sinead O'Connor was right, years ago and that she is vindicated in her earlier actions: If anyone should think there aren't a lot of us out here who are beyond disappointed in this action today, but downright angry, they would be very much mistaken. Fight the real enemy. Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/15/3267619/bishop-finn-avoids-indictment.html; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hK6z-DMBis; http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=12379

Penn Sate and the Catholic Church

"Jerry Sandusky is unfit to be a Coach. He is however totally fit to be a Catholic Priest." --Gilbert Gottfried, comedian, on Facebook

KC Star vs, the Catholic Church League: Score one for the Star and decency

Yikes. It's getting hot over at the Catholic League. It seems they wanted to put an ad in the Star to defend Bishop Finn and his actions total lack of action in and on the Sean Ratigan sexual misconduct situation and the Star said no. Yes, they turned down their $25,000.00 ad. To which I say, I can't believe it but GOOD ON YOU, STAR. It should have been turned down, I should think for at least this one reason--in some of the opening sentences, the Catholic League writes and admits this: "Last December, crotch-shot pictures of young girls, fully clothed, were found on Fr. Ratigan’s computer; there was one photo of a naked girl." The Catholic League has the nerve to write and admit the above, and then DEFEND BISHOP FINN and his total, utter denial of Ratigan's situation. Man, those Catholics and the Catholic League have chutzpah. That said, I think if I were the Star, I would have run the ad and for two reasons. First, they need the money and they need it badly. Then, it would have let the Catholics have their say. Fine. But then, I'd have run an editorial, probably the next day, answering the ad. For the Catholic League--and any Catholics--to defend Finn when they can admit the above--that a child's sexual parts or private parts or whatever you want to call them, were both photographed and then kept on a priest's computer and FINN DID NOTHING for at least 5 months? That's beyond inexcusable. By our Missouri laws, fortunately, it's illegal. It's also illegal BECAUSE OF THE LAST CATHOLIC SEX ABUSE SCANDAL THAT TOOK PLACE, too, if anyone needs reminding. There are so many things wrong with what the Catholic League claim in their proposed ad, it's nearly mind-numbing. They're either lying to themselves or to the world so badly, so completely, it's shocking. And the League's playing both Finn and the church as victims is not just ridiculous, it's insulting. So kudos and salutations to The Kansas City Star. You all didn't take this dirty Catholic money. Good on you. Someone should give you an award of some kind for integrity and doing the right thing. "...the ultimate goal is to have the Catholic Church cede its autonomy to the state." Right. What nonense. If Bill Donohue and all these die-hard Catholics weren't such lapdogs for Finn and the church, they would be ashamed of themselves for putting Finn and the church ahead of the children and their safety and protecting these pedophiles, instead, time and again. Clearly "They know not what they do." (Side note: thanks to Tony at TKC for bringing this to the city's attention.) Links: http://www.catholicleague.org/kansas-city-star-vs-catholic-church-2/; http://www.catholicleague.org/taking-aim-at-bishop-finn/; http://www.tonyskansascity.com/