KANSAS CITY (MO)
KMBC
Kris Ketz
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —The Vatican has just announced that Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph Robert Finn.
A release issued by the diocese says Finn offered his resignation under a code of Canon Law allowing bishops to resign early.
Finn was the highest-ranking U.S. church leader to be convicted for failing to take action in response to sex abuse allegations. He was charged in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, whose computer contained hundreds of lewd photos of young girls taken in and around churches where he worked. Diocesan officials waited six months before they notified civil authorities of the photos. Ratigan pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison.
The diocese said Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann has been appointed Apostolic Administrator until a new bishop is appointed.
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