Sex Abuse Scandal Costs Mount for Kansas City-st. Joseph Diocese

The Republic
March 14, 2014

http://www.therepublic.com/w/MO--Kansas-City-Diocese-Legal-Costs

The Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese is not considering bankruptcy, despite having paid millions of dollars for legal fees and settlements in sexual abuse cases involving priests in recent years, a diocese spokesman said.

The diocese has paid $6 million in settlements on sex abuse cases since May, as well as $7 million on legal fees for sex abuse cases in the last two fiscal years. And it still faces more than two dozen sexual abuse lawsuits and a breach-of-contract case filed by plaintiffs who settled with the diocese for $10 million in 2008, The Kansas City Star reported

Those costs have raised concerns about possible bankruptcy among parishioners, including a group that has petitioned Pope Francis to remove Bishop Robert Finn for his handling of the sexual abuse allegations.

"Among the active and retired clergy, there is a genuine and sincere concern of diocesan bankruptcy," said Jeff Weis, a Kansas City Catholic who started a petition drive seeking Finn's removal. "There's a fear that this diocese is being driven into the ground financially."

A diocesan spokesman said those concerns are unfounded.

"The diocese is not contemplating or in a position requiring bankruptcy," said spokesman Jack Smith, adding the diocese's insurance carrier covered the costs of the settlements.

After the diocese settled with families in 2008, it strengthened policies and procedures to deal with allegations of sexual abuse by priests.

"Many felt that our diocese had turned the corner," Weis said, "that our chapter of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church had come to a close."

But in December 2010, a computer technician found hundreds of lewd photos of young girls on the Rev. Shawn Ratigan's computer. Finn was later sentenced to two years of probation for failing to report suspicions of child abuse to authorities. Ratigan was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to five child pornography charges.

That led to more lawsuits against the diocese. The diocese also settled a lawsuit last summer in a case from decades ago involving a monsignor who was the subject of dozens of lawsuits. Another case, filed against a priest, his religious order and the diocese, was settled in December. The diocese also has paid millions in legal fees and still faces another 30 civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse, and the breach of contract case.