5 Lessons from the Resignation of Bishop Robert Finn

By David Gibson
Washington Post
April 21, 2015

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/5-lessons-from-the-resignation-of-bishop-robert-finn-analysis/2015/04/21/d1317f48-e843-11e4-8581-633c536add4b_story.html

When Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Missouri Bishop Robert Finn, who was convicted three years ago for failing to report a priest suspected of child abuse, the pontiff sent a powerful message to the Catholic Church.

Here are five takeaways from the news, which the Vatican announced on Tuesday (April 21).

1. This is a big deal

During the past decade, the most intense years of the Catholic Church’s long-running clergy sex abuse scandal, thousands of priests have been punished or defrocked for abusing children, and a few bishops found guilty of molestation have also quit.

But until Finn, no American bishop had ever been forced from office (despite the terse Vatican announcement that he “resigned”) for covering up for a predator priest.

That sets a precedent in an institution where many have regarded the hierarchy as a privileged caste that should not be held to the same standards as others in the church. Some feared that if a bishop were pushed out for failing to do his job, it would create a domino effect that could topple the entire superstructure.

“We all know there are other U.S. bishops wondering ‘who is the next?’” tweeted church historian Massimo Faggioli.

But Francis seems to be betting this sort of accountability at the top will strengthen the church, and even help restore the credibility of the bishops.

2. Finn was an easy case

Finn is the only U.S. bishop ever convicted in court of failing to report a suspected abuser, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who was later sentenced to 50 years on federal child pornography charges.

Ratigan had hundreds of lewd pictures of children from local parishes on his computer, and he attempted suicide when the diocese learned of them in 2010. But Finn waited six months to report Ratigan to authorities.

Finn pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2012 and was sentenced to two years’ probation after a legal battle that cost the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph millions of dollars.

In short, Finn was low-hanging fruit.

3. Francis had to take action

Locally, the diocese was a mess. Kansas City-St. Joseph had lost one-quarter of its members since Finn took over in 2005, and the past few years of scandal and financial outlays related to the abuse case had left Catholics deeply disillusioned.

Moreover, Francis’ credibility was on the line. While his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, had taken steps to address abusive priests, Benedict hadn’t done much to hold bishops accountable. After a slow start in addressing the scandal following his March 2013 election, Francis eventually sent strong signals that bishops would no longer be protected.

Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, a top adviser to Francis and the American churchman with the greatest credibility on the abuse issue, also made it clear in recent months that accountability for bishops is a priority. He even took the step of publicly criticizing another bishop when he told “60 Minutes” last fall that the Finn case needed to be addressed “urgently.”

The day before Finn’s resignation was announced, Marie Collins, an abuse victim from Ireland who is a member of the panel Francis established to address the abuse crisis, wondered “how anybody like that (Finn) could be left in charge of a diocese.”

Francis was also facing strong criticism on his appointment of a bishop in Chile who allegedly knew about the predations of one of that country’s most notorious abusers.

Finally, Francis will be making his first visit to the U.S. in September, a highly anticipated trip to a key church in his global flock, and a place where Catholics have welcomed his new style as rapturously as anywhere. But it’s also a church whose members have been traumatized by the abuse scandal, which they see as a priority for the pope.

4. It’s all about the system, not the bishop

“Who’s next?” is the question many are asking. But a better question may be, “What’s next?”

Some believe Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt, another unpopular figure with a dodgy record on abuse and a tangle of legal and personal questions, could be forced to resign at some point. But picking off bishops one by one isn’t the point.