Former Kc Bishop Robert Finn on Pilgrimage in Spain
By Judy L. Thomas
When Pope Francis arrives next week for his first U.S. visit as pontiff, former Kansas City bishop Robert Finn will not be among the Catholic prelates gathering to welcome him. Finn, who resigned as leader of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in April in the aftermath of a priest sex abuse scandal, is out of the country on a monthlong pilgrimage in Spain. The diocese confirmed Finn’s whereabouts after The Star received reports of sightings of the bishop along the Camino de Santiago, an ancient passage in Spain that has been traveled by kings, popes and even movie stars. Diocesan spokesman Jack Smith said Finn was expected to return to Kansas City at the end of the month. That means Finn will be out of the country for the pope’s U.S. visit. Francis arrives Tuesday in Washington, D.C., and then will spend time in New York and Philadelphia before returning to Rome on Sunday. Finn also was absent for the Vatican’s announcement earlier this week that Bishop James J. Johnston of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau would be his successor as head of the local diocese. Finn was convicted in September 2012 for failing to notify authorities about a priest who later pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. The conviction made Finn the most senior U.S. Roman Catholic prelate convicted of criminal charges related to the church’s child sexual abuse scandal. The Vatican announced in April that Finn was stepping down as head of the diocese, but neither Finn nor the Vatican provided a specific reason for the resignation. Smith said he and Finn had talked about the upcoming journey. “He’d planned this for a couple of months, to go with some friends of his,” Smith said Friday. “It’s something he’d wanted to do for years but never had the time. Now, of course, he does.” The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James, is a pilgrimage to what is believed to be the tomb of the apostle St. James in the northwest corner of Spain. The most popular path starts in France and runs west to Santiago de Compostela, a journey of nearly 500 miles. Some walk the entire route, carrying their own gear and staying in hostels or public shelters, or even camping out. Others go with tour groups, sleeping in hotels with modern conveniences. People make the journey for many reasons — some for the religious experience, others for cultural reasons or personal challenges. Smith said he thought Finn was walking about 250 miles on the path. “It’s actually something that people look forward to doing,” he said. “I have a friend who did the Camino earlier in the summer, and he ran into the president of Rockhurst several times. So news came back about that as well.” To reach Judy L. Thomas, call 816-234-4334 or send email to jthomas@kcstar.com.
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