Bishop of Kansas Charged with Turning a Blind Eye to Child Abuse, by Nick Allen, The Telegraph, October 14, 2011

Bishop of Kansas Charged with Turning a Blind Eye to Child Abuse

By Nick Allen
The Telegraph
October 14, 2011

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8828519/Bishop-of-Kansas-charged-with-turning-a-blind-eye-to-child-abuse.html

The Rev. Monsignor Robert Finn is facing a criminal charge for not telling police about child pornography that was found on a priest's computer Photo: AP

Robert Finn, the Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph in the state of Missouri, became the highest ranking US church official charged in a long-running series of clergy abuse scandals.

Bishop Finn appeared in court in Jackson County, Missouri where he pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanour charge of not reporting suspected child abuse.

The charge carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The diocese was also charged and its lawyers entered a not guilty plea.

Prosecutor Jean Peters-Baker said the bishop had "reasonable cause" to suspect a child had been abused after learning of the indecent images, and should have immediately alerted police.

The prosecutor said she would "pursue this case vigorously because it is about protecting children. I want to ensure there are no future failures to report resulting in other unsuspecting victims".

Bishop Finn has acknowledged that he and other diocese officials knew in December about hundreds of "disturbing" photos of children on a computer used by Rev Shawn Ratigan, but did not take the matter to police until five months later in May.

Father Ratigan was arrested and faces charges of taking indecent photographs of young girls, including during an Easter egg hunt. He has pleaded not guilty.

Previously, no American bishop has been charged with covering up such alleged crimes, though numerous lawsuits have alleged high-up church officials concealed abuses and, in some cases, transferred offending priests to unsuspecting parishes.

In a statement Bishop Finn said: "Months ago, after the arrest of Shawn Ratigan, I pledged the complete co-operation of the diocese and accountability to law enforcement. We have carried this out faithfully."

He said the charges would be met with "with a steady resolve and a vigorous defence. With deep faith, we will weather this storm and never cease to fulfil our mission, even in moments of adversity."

In May 2010 a headmistress at a school where Father Ratigan worked sent the diocese a letter raising concerns that he was behaving inappropriately around children.

But the bishop said he did not read the letter until a year later after Ratigan was charged.

Earlier this year, the diocese hired former US Attorney Todd Graves to investigate. His report concluded diocese leaders "failed to follow their own policies and procedures" in the Ratigan case.

Bishop Finn was appointed in 2005. Three years ago he settled historical sex abuse cases against the diocese, involving 47 plaintiffs, for $10 million.