KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
EDITORIAL
Finn – Fit to be Leader? The National Catholic Reporter (NCR) broke a story this week that Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa has conducted an apostolic visitation — at the behest of the Vatican — of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri. The Archbishop, it is reported, asked of supporters and defenders of Bishop Robert Finn: Do you think Bishop Finn is fit to be a leader? It is possible that given all of the mounds of heart breaking evidence that’s been produced through the courage of the survivors in this crisis – evidence that has been ignored, attempted to be explained away, and pushed under massive rugs – Oriental and otherwise — and vigorously assigned – but not staying put – as history, — that the Archbishop will answer his question in the affirmative and deliver the answer to the Vatican that Finn is a fit leader. But, while we still are in that place in these days where the decision is yet to be make – or, if made, not yet carried out – it may be possible to entertain the thought of what hell freezing over would sound like. A cautionary damper is placed on this though by the at first hopeful news and then disclaimered news that the reason Paraguayan Bishop Rogelio Livieres Plano was removed from office was his protection of Monsignor Carolos Urritigoity against whom a federal lawsuit charging abuse was filed in the United States. The suit was followed by a bishop to bishop warning from Diocese of Scranton Bishop James Timlin not to give Utttigoity faculties in Paraguay. Now in the case of Finn’s fitness, Archbishop Prendergast stands in the breach. We urge any one with information regarding Bishop Finn’s and his diocese’s conduct in regard to the Shawn Ratigan child pornography case and the Diocese’s protestation of payment of $1.1 million ordered by an arbitrator for violating the 2008 settlement conditions for victims of sexual abuse by priests in the diocese to raise their voice, their pen, their email, their faxes – and any other method of preferred communication. We mean everyone with information: attorneys, advocates, people in the pews, concerned citizens, chancery officials, priests, deacons, religious, and brother bishops. We urge them to answer Archbishop Prendergast’s question: is Finn fit to be a leader? Here is Archbishop Prendergast’s contact information through the Archdiocese of Ottawa: The Diocesan Centre 1247 Kilborn Place Ottawa, Ontario K1H 6K9 Telephone number: 613-738-5025 The voicemail system, the Archdiocese says, is available 24/7 Fax number: 613-738-0130 E-mail: reception@archottawa.ca Or send your information to us and we’ll forward it.
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