Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn under Vatican Investigation

By Garrett Haake
KSHB
September 29, 2014

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kansas-city-bishop-robert-finn-under-vatican-investigation

[with video]

The Vatican is now investigating Bishop Robert Finn, two years after his conviction for failure to report possible sexual abuse conducted by a priest in his diocese.

Finn, the highest ranking American Catholic church official to be convicted of failing to support suspected crimes against children, has been the leader of 133,000 Catholics of the Diocese of Kansas City and St. Joseph since 2005.

The National Catholic Reporter first reported the investigation Monday afternoon.

NCR reported that Canadian Archbishop Terrence Prendergast spent three days working out of a private home in Overland Park, Kan., interviewing colleagues and associates of Finn and asking them about Finn’s fitness to remain as leader of the church here.

“By accounts he listened well and listened hard and listened to both sides, and he will issue a report that will be filed with the Congregation of Bishops,” NCR editor Dennis Coday told 41 Action News.

Diocesan spokesman Jack Smith said Finn was notified of the investigation and “cooperated with the process and was obligated by the terms of the visitation not to speak of it to anyone, including his senior staff.”

Coday said the investigation into Finn is in keeping with Pope Francis’ stated plans to address issues of sexual abuse in the church more broadly.

“Francis has said that has not been said before is that he at looking at also making sure that bishops who are responsible, not for sex abuse itself but for its cover up, will be held responsible,” Coday said.

The news of the investigation was welcome to some Catholic activists in Kansas City who have long called for Finn’s removal.

“I found that extremely encouraging,” Sister Jeanne Christensen said. “And we have worked so hard for so long to bring it to the attention of the Vatican.”