The subject of today’s post is my favorite dartboard figure, Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert Finn.
To get into it, I’m going to borrow the template of local sports commentator and blogger Greg Hall, who has made a name for himself locally with his “Off the Couch” columns.
Greg’s schtick is quoting what somebody says and following it with his own observations. As fuel for my bonfire, I’m going to use Sunday’s lead story in The Kansas City Star, which appeared under this headline: “How Will KC Diocese Heal?”
The story was written by Judy Thomas, Mark Morris and Glenn E. Rice, all of whom have covered aspects of the child-porn case of Rev. Shawn Ratigan, a priest who is charged with felonies for allegedly taking and distributing lewd photos of young girls.
On Friday, Finn and the Kansas City diocese were indicted on misdemeanor charges related to his and the diocese’s failure to report, for five months, reasonable suspicions of child abuse. If convicted, Finn could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and fined up to $1,000.
So, here we go with a special edition of JimmyCsays. (All introductory quotes were taken directly from people whom the reporters interviewed.)
Jim Dougherty
Jim Dougherty, a member of St. Louis Parish on Swope Parkway: “I think he has taken action. I don’t know more of what he can do…I believe that Bishop Finn demonstrated integrity and Christ-like virtue in repeatedly admitting his failure and undertaking significant change throughout the diocese.”
JimmyC: What more could Finn have done? Uh, how about getting his head out of the sex-abuse sand and vowing, when he became bishop six years ago, that he would not tolerate it in his diocese? As for “undertaking significant change,” yes, he definitely has done that. Unfortunately, it has involved railing against abortion and drawing a sharp, horizontal line between the clergy (the top layer of Finn’s cake) and the laity (the lowest layer).
(P.S. I’m pretty sure that Dougherty is former director of DeLaSalle Education Center.)
Jason Berry
Jason Berry, author of “Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church: “His credibility is shot. But I would be very surprised if Finn is withdrawn. The pattern is they dig in their heels and stand by their man.”
JimmyC: Tammy Wynette couldn’t have said it better. The International Business Times quoted a Vatican spokesman as saying Sunday that Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican would not attempt to interfere with the legal process. “We have no intention of intervening in that procedure,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. “Any intervention could be interpreted as interference.” Yes, the Vatican would hate to involve itself in a case that affects the most vulnerable of God’s children.
Becky Summers, diocesan spokeswoman: “(Finn) continues to perform his pastoral duties with energy, dedication and enthusiasm…As part of his pastoral duties, he meets with priests every day. And, I would imagine that he will be discussing (the criminal allegations) with them.”
JimmyC: And here’s how one of those conversations might go…Priest: “Say, bishop, what’s up with that criminal charge against you?” Bishop Finn: “It’s a bunch of bullshit, Father. I’m continuing to perform my pastoral duties with energy, dedication and enthusiasm. Now, get back to preaching against abortion.”
Pat O'Neill
Pat O’Neill, public relations consultant and a member of Visitation Parish: “My guess is that (diocesan) fundraising is in limbo and will remain that way until there’s some resolution in the criminal case, and some definitive determination of what happens to Bishop Finn.”
JimmyC: Do you hear that thunderous, clapping sound? It’s Catholic wallets slamming shut.
Jim Caccamo, chairman of the diocese’s Independent Review Board: “Most of our priests are honorable, trustworthy, loving, committed me who have served the church and the parishioners for years. It has got to make them feel terribly sad.”
JimmyC: Many of them undoubtedly do feel that way, and most in that group probably are liberal priests whom Finn has relegated, for the most part, to small and remote parishes.
Carolyn Cook, a Kansas City Catholic: “Moving him somewhere else won’t help. He needs to be taken from the church. He’s an educated person and can go teach.”
JimmyC: A-men.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Good column, right on! My comment: He needs to go to jail. He would look great in orange!
As a priest AND victim of clergy sexual abuse, I feel the bishops and cardinals still think they can handle this themselves — and to a point believe they are above the law. For them, Canon Law is their primary responsibility. They continually remind followers that “forgiveness” is primary — that victims should forgive their abusers, that victims and the faithful should forgive them for the offenses and errors of the past.
Unfortunately, the dear bishops and cardinals have forgotten that along with forgiveness come JUSTICE, RETRIBUTION and ATONEMENT. They talk a good game but come far short on following through. For the past 10 years (or more) they have claimed to be the best church in responding to the child abuse problem — yet in so many cases we find that (1) they don’t follow their self-proclaimed Charter to Protect Children and (2) there is at least one diocese that REFUSES to participate in the charter. They are unable or unwilling to correct themselves, so how can we expect them to correct the whole issue?
Forgiveness, justice and atonement all require someone to TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY for the wrong committed.
Of course the Vatican will not get involved. Just like they didn’t give Archbishop Lay of Boston a job in the Vatican so he would not be arrested for the child-abuse scandal in Boston.
RICO is needed now.
That was Cardinal Law. Finn is more arrogant than Law was (IMHO). RICO has been needed for a couple hundred years now. Would love to see it happen, it would certainly solve this problem.
Here’s the lowdown on RICO from my favorite online source, Wikipedia…
“The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. The RICO Act focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be tried for the crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them, closing a perceived loophole that allowed someone who told a man to, for example, murder, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually do it.
RICO was enacted by section 901(a) of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. No. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922, enacted October 15, 1970). RICO is codified as Chapter 96 of Title 18 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. § 1961–1968. While its original use was to prosecute the Mafia as well as others who were actively engaged in organized crime, its application has been more widespread.”
Thanks, Jimmy, for the info. If I am reading it right (I am NOT a lawyer) to use it in the KC case, we would have to prove that Finn ordered these priests to go out there and abuse children. Hiding the abusers is a misdemeanor here in Missouri, but I gues we could get that changed if enough of us get our act together… thanks again, Your assistance is appreciated. FYI, your column ran on the Abuse Tracker today.
Brilliant rendition of OTC Fitz!
I’ll reserve my sardonic comments until justice fails to do its job.
Nothing would make me happier than Finn getting a one-year sentence and having his Red Sea parted by a HUGE Moses-like staff.
Thanks, Smartman…Good to hear from you. I hate to disappoint, but our beloved bishop won’t be going to jail. It will probably be a suspended sentence, that is, he’s free as long as he lives up to the terms imposed by the court. Somehow, he’s managed to avoid previous convictions; otherwise he’d be a good candidate for bars. Rats!
Some Catholic folks I know in St. Louis warned me several years ago when they learned that Finn was to be named the bishop of the KC/St. Joe diocese. They told me a bit about his philosophy and attitude toward the flock (archiac, stone-age, ultra conservative, tons of hubris) and said words to the effect of, “you’re in for a very rough ride.”
Sure enough, a few months into his reign, I walked out of my SKC Catholic church after Mass on Sunday and there were legions of sheep, er parishoners, handing out literature on whom to vote for. The weirdness continued. Three folks I know who worked at the chancery, dedicated, hard-working, passionate employees, were “let go” by Finn with little explanation. Then the message of the sermons at my church skewed heavily conservative (anti-abortion, what candidates to vote for, ultra traditional themes…)
I quit attending the church (and quit contributing) three years ago. I felt alienated then, but that’s OK. Today I feel “more cleansed,” oddly. I have decided to not let Finn get in the way of my relationship with God. My old parish and the Vatican will roll on without me and my family.
What saddens and angers me almost as much as Finn continuing to hide and protect sexually predatory priests are Catholics who continue to defend him. That just shows how strongly we have been brainwashed into clericalism, or how strongly we want to pretend all this isn’t happening because then we would have to accept some accountability ourselves. Who says we can’t do anything about this? If the Catholics in Finn’s diocese would band together and storm the chancery office, either in person or by phoning in every 10 minutes, someone would listen. Instead, we just allow the hierarchy of the Catholic church to continue doing what they do best – slipping through the cracks.
Great suggestion, Gabrielle…I just called the chancery, asked for the bishop’s office and got what I believe to be his administrative assistant’s voice mailbox. I asked her to pass on to the bishop my suggestion that he “prayerfully consider resigning his post.” I left my name and address.
Kay — Thanks for the compliment. As a practical matter, I don’t think RICO applies here. After all, it’s a misdemeanor, and RICO has its sights set on felonious fish.
…Yes, I saw that it was picked up on abusetracker…For anyone who would like to see those posts, which track all abuse cases and runaway bishops, go to bishopaccountability.org and then click on abusetracker.
I’ve had over 60 referrers from abusetracker today.
Jim,
As your former neighbor of 22 years, I am sure you recall the reason why I speak about forgiveness and healing, as reflected in my other comment in the paper: “I still believe in a God that relishes and redeems woundedness.”
We will be celebrating the sixth Annual Mass for Forgiveness and Healing on November 11 at 6:00 pm at St. Louis Church. The intention of the Mass is for all those who suffer and need forgiveness (or need to forgive), and for those who need healing. I started this Annual Mass four years after Aaron’s death. It has helped me and my family tremendously. Bishop Finn will be the main celebrant for this Mass, as he has done for the previous five Masses. I would be honored for you, Patty and any of your readers to join us. Justice will be served, I am sure, but as Catholics we need to also pray, forgive and heal.
Thanks as well for showing the great picture of me!
Blessings,
Jim
Jim — Thank you so much for commenting and for calling me today. It was great to talk to you.
Readers, when you talk about a good and holy person, Jim Dougherty is the archetype. Yes, I used his comments to lash out at the bishop, and Jim and I disagree about how people should respond to Bishop Finn regarding his and the diocese’s handling of the Ratigan case. But I have the highest regard for Jim, and I greatly admire his forgiving and charitable attitude. (I obviously could use some improvement in that area.)
In his comment, Jim hinted at the terrible tragedy that took place within his family nine years ago. At the time, Jim and I both lived on 56th Street, between Main and Brookside. Late one morning, when I was in my office at The Star, I heard on the radio that there had been a fatal shooting at 56th and Main — a very unusual place to have such an event.
I was startled and concerned, of course, and after a few phone calls found out that Aaron Dougherty, one of Jim and Carol’s four children, had been shot and killed by police officers in the living room of their house. Aaron, who was a troubled young man, had brandished a knife, and the police shot and killed him. It was a totally unnecessary shooting: the officers, as I recall, had a clear path to get out of the house, or they could have shot to wound Aaron. But they shot to kill, as they are trained, so they said. And Jim and Carol lost a son, and their two other sons and their daughter lost a sibling.
So, Jim knows a thing or two about suffering and forgiving, and my heart will always go out to him and Carol and their surviving children.
For his part, Jim is studying to become a deacon in the Catholic Church. I can’t imaging a better role for him. He will help a lot of people.
God be with you, Jim! I’ll be talking with you, and I intend to be at the memorial Mass on Nov. 11.
Well done, JimmyC.
What about the woman who says, “He’s an educated person and can go teach.”
Educated? He isn’t even smart enough to keep a pedophile priest away from children after 60+ years of Catholic priests raping innocent children. Doesn’t sound too educated to me, although Catholics have a different standard.
Note that Bishop Finn ha at least FOUR attorneys who got the charges dropped. What happened to not reporting a know pedophile, then destroying evidence (giving Ratigan’s computer back to the family), et cetera. Looks like 4 lawyers can get a pretty sweet deal from the Catholics in the legal system.