Trial Date Set for Bishop Finn
Frank Cocozzelli printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 08:11:20 AM EST
The trial date for Bishop Robert W. Finn,of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri will be September 24, 2012.  Finn and the diocese were charged with failing to report suspected child abuse of one of his subordinates, Rev. Shawn Ratigan.
As I reported here and here, Bishop Finn, previously best known for his Opus Dei vision for the Church and society, had constructive knowledge of improper touching of young girls and possession of child pornography by Father Shawn Ratigan, who also faces criminal charges.

Missouri State Law makes it a misdemeanor crime not to report such behavior.  If convicted, Finn faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine; the diocese only faces a fine of $5,000.

Bishop Finn avoided similar charges in nearby Clay County, Missouri by agreeing to government oversight of all pedophilia investigations for the next five years.

The controversial Opus Dei prelate and Father Ratigan have been receiving legal help from the ultra-conservative, Opus Bono Sacerdotii (OBS), an organization with strong ties to Opus Dei member Thomas Monaghan, William Donohue and several prominent Catholic neocons.  As I have previously reported, any setback for Finn (especially resignation) would remove a high-profile social conservative voice in a Mid-Western bastion of liberal thought.

The National Catholic Reporter has noted that several potential pre-trial motion and hearings have been calendared well before the trial.



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Trial Date Set for Bishop Finn | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
As Events Unfold... (5.00 / 1)
...we'll report.

by Frank Cocozzelli on Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 08:13:04 AM EST

Opus Dei (5.00 / 2)
I'm noticing something disturbing as I surf around the internet, reading blogs and comments. A troubling number of readers seem to know nothing about Opus Dei except the evil monk in the Dan Brown novels. They are thus concluding that the organization is either fictional, or made up of a tiny number of religious fanatics with s/m proclivities, and that anyone who expresses concern about Opus Dei influence in our country is a conspiracy theory nut. Any suggestions on how to counter effectively these misconceptions will be greatly appreciated.

by MLouise on Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 11:39:44 AM EST
They do some charity work. (5.00 / 1)
Best way to highlight what they are is to show how they operate their clinics, from what I understand it is about as useful as their stance on birth control. Also there are no monks in Opus Dei.

by Hirador on Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 04:04:20 PM EST
Parent


Trial should be on facts (