Bishop Finn and diocese charged in tragic abuse case

The diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph is under attack from Jackson County prosecutors, in Missouri. Prosecutors are charging both the Bishop and the diocese for failing to report child pornography to the authorities.

KANSAS CITY, MO (Catholic Online) - Prosecutors are upset that diocesan officials took five months before notifying them that one of their priests, Reverend Shawn Ratigan, had been caught with hundreds of sexually explicit photos of children on his laptop computer. The photos were allegedly taken between 2005 and the spring of 2011, when Ratigan was arrested.

Bishop Robert Finn of the Catholic diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph's, appeared in court last Friday to plead not guilty to both charges.

Prosecutors are upset that the diocese has moved too slowly for their preference in addressing this concern. The diocese however, has in fact taken the issue very seriously. The diocese hired a former federal prosecutor to investigate itself, and to give a full report to the bishop. The report did acknowledge that some leaders of the diocese "failed to follow their own policies and procedures" in this particular case.

The charging of a high church official is an exceptionally rare event. Even more rare, is the charging of the diocese itself. However, prosecutors stress that they wanted to send a strong and clear message to the Church. They maintain they wish to compel the Church to understand that any reports of child abuse are serious and urgent affairs, and that there must be no delay in contacting civil authorities.

By and large, the Church understands this well. Pope Benedict XVI has made the issue a priority within the church, and has given explicit instructions to the bishops on how they are to handle these cases.

This child abuse by fallen clergy has cost the Church millions of dollars over the past two decades in legal fees and settlements. Most importantly, it has harmed and disrupted the lives of, hundreds of child victims worldwide.

But it must be noted, that the evils and horrors of child abuse can be found anywhere. It is a mistake to assume that these incidents of abuse are unique to the Catholic Church as any observer can see, they clearly are not.

Despite the allegation of Bishop Finn's delay in reporting the matter to the authorities, the worldwide church, has made a monumental effort to step up its policing and reporting activities to protect children from the rare, but significant wrongdoing of specific individuals.

It is not yet clear how these charges will play out in court. However, it is certain that this tragic case will increase the already growing concerns within the Church. They may also help to ensure that safeguards are put in place which can help guarantee the safety of the people for whom the Church is entrusted to provide pastoral care.

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