KANSAS CITY (MO)
Washington Post
By Jesse Bogan
Religion News Service
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
He didn’t mention Bishop Robert Finn, shepherd of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. On Thursday, a judge in Jackson County found Finn, 59, guilty of one misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse, including the fact that Finn knew child pornography was on the computer of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who used to be pastor of St. Patrick’s.
But it was clear that Hoye’s caution against judgment and prayers for healing were about Finn and the wounded congregation.
“We pray that the Holy Spirit might move throughout the diocese and grant us consolation and peace,” Hoye said. “We pray for the victims of injustice, those denied rights owed them.”
When the service was over, parishioners were polite but not as subtle about the court ruling.
“Maybe this will get different dioceses and bishops, everybody throughout the religious world, to realize they have a responsibility to basically do what Jesus taught us and that is take care of kids, to respect other lives,” said Steve Burk, 59, a retired Ford assembly line worker who attends Mass throughout the week.
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