BishopAccountability.org
	Diversion, Indeed NSAC November 17, 2011 http://nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/editorials/ The Clay County, Missouri Prosecutor, Daniel White let Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese Bishop Robert Finn off the hook this week with the kid glove treatment of meetings instead of criminal charges for his admitted non-reporting of child pornography by a diocesan priest, Shawn Ratigan. Finn faces charges for non-reporting in neighboring Jackson County. We are appalled, amazed and flat out stunned that any prosecutor would make this deal – which is called a diversion program — downwind from the Penn State scandal, Finn’s admission, and the indictment of Finn in Jackson County. The White-Finn Arrangement is an agreement that Finn will meet monthly with White to let White know about abuse involving minors in Clay County of which Finn is aware. Really? Mr. White must be dreadfully unaware of the audit process of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has in place as its answer to ongoing monitoring of sexual abuse in its dioceses. This process is based totally on self-reporting and its lack of any power, subpoena or otherwise, on the part of the person across the table from the bishop or his deputized audit person, renders it impotent. The $3.2 million settlement reached this week with the family of a victim of former Archdiocese of Chicago priest Daniel McCormack says in bold relief how ineffective the Bishops in the United States are at self-monitoring and reporting. The Daniel McCormack case happened after the US Bishops produced their self reporting audit system in 2002. McCormack was prosecuted in 2007 for post-2002 abuse in an archdiocese run by Cardinal Francis Law, the prime author of the Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The bishops have however proved themselves to be effective at deflection and diversion. We wonder if the Clay County prosecutor is offering this diversion arrangement to all the folks in Clay County who admit to crimes. Maybe just the ones who know about but don’t report the crimes for which he does bring charges? White also announced this week that a Clay County grand jury indicted Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese priest, Shawn Ratigan on three felony charges of child pornography. If you don’t think Mr. White arrived at the right conclusion for Bishop Finn’s admission of non-reporting of knowledge of child pornography by a priest of his diocese, we urge you to tell him. Here’s his email address: daniel_white@claycopa.com — Kristine Ward, Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition KristineWard@hotmail.com , 937-272-0308/
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