Judge Orders File Release by Kansas City Catholic Hierarchy

By Dan Verbeck
KCUR
June 28, 2012

http://www.kcur.org/post/judge-orders-file-release-kansas-city-catholic-hierarchy

[with audio]

Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese Bishop Robert Finn. The Diocese must turn over to a prosecutor a collection of sensitive files.

Documents considered so sensitive they may not be photocopied must be turned over to a prosecutor by the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese.

The files deal with former cases alleging abuse by priests.

The Catholic Diocese had been reluctant to turn over data from its own investigations until ordered this week by Jackson County Circuit Judge John Torrence.

The Jackson County Prosecutor will take the information that is so touchy only a limited number of people may see it.

Investigations listed in the documents deal with examination of actions by six priests.

Bishop Robert Finn and his diocese go to trial in September on misdemeanor charges filed over the way they handled the case against a priest, Reverend Shawn Ratigan.

Ratigan awaits trial in state and federal courts on pornography allegations involving children.

The Judge’s orders include additional misdemeanor charges against the Bishop and the church realm he serves.