Sad Catholic 101: Bishop admits failure in priest's child pornography case (Post #131)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Bishop admits failure in priest's child pornography case (Post #131)

Excerpt from the National Catholic Reporter: Bishop admits failure in priest's child pornography case

May. 23, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- One day after newspapers across the nation featured front page articles about a U.S. bishops' sponsored study on the causes of the clergy sex abuse scandal, which blamed much of the crisis on the sexual revolution of the 1960s, another clergy abuse news story was on the front page of The Kansas City Star: A local priest had been arrested for possession of child pornography

To many, the most disturbing revelation in the story of Fr. Shawn Ratigan, 45, a priest in the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese since 2004, was that diocesan officials knew his personal computer had been found last December to contain many photographs of young children, including at least one of a nude girl.

But they did not share the information with members of the diocese or its review board. Instead, Bishop Robert W. Finn moved the priest to a local home for religious sisters. Even after the priest attempted suicide, the diocese kept the information surrounding his transfer secret. The diocese went public about Ratigan's computer photographs last week after the priest was arrested by local police May 19 and charged with three counts of possessing child pornography.

At a May 20 session at the parish where Ratigan served as pastor for a year, Finn fielded questions from distraught parishioners. He revealed during the session that he had considered placing the priest, after learning of his troubles, at the diocesan archives so he could do work that "wouldn't put him in contact with children." According to guidelines established by the U.S. bishops in their 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, independent review boards in each diocese are to help the bishop "in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors." But a member of the review board in the Kansas City diocese told NCR the group had never been notified of the Ratigan matter.

The process followed by officials in the Kansas City case appears to mirror in some ways that followed in Philadelphia, where a Feb. 10 grand jury report cited 37 priests as continuing in ministry in that archdiocese despite what were considered to be credible allegations of abuse. Following that report, the former secretary of clergy in the archdiocese was arrested for failing to protect children from dangerous priests. Cardinal Justin Rigali also placed 21 other priests on administrative leave March 8 pending review of allegations of abuse. The head of the Philadelphia review board has said that archdiocesan officials held back pertinent information from that board regarding the cases against priests in the archdiocese.

The Kansas City case, while involving only one priest, seems to reveal a pattern long associated with the clergy sex abuse scandal: Local bishops make the final decision regarding whom to notify when priests are accused of abuse or, as in the case of Ratigan, suspected of possessing child pornography. According to a letter released from the Kansas City diocese late Friday afternoon, Finn said he first learned that a laptop computer owned by Ratigan contained "many images of female children," including one of an "unclothed child," in December. The bishop said that he described one of the images to a police officer and was told it "did not constitute child pornography."

Officers arrested Ratigan May 19. The priest is being held on $200,000 bond, with arraignment expected Monday. [Eds note: Ratigan pleaded not guilty during his court appearance]

Sources include
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/bishop-admits-failure-priests-child-pornography-case
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/bishops-center-abuse-scandal-and-potential-reform
http://childprotectionnews.com/st-joseph-possesses-child-pornography-for-5-months-before-giving-to-police/fr-shawn-ratigan-3/
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10418
http://www.diocese-kcsj.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Finn_(bishop)
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/20/2890783/bishop-finns-statement.html
http://www.nccbuscc.org/ocyp/charter.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Francis_Rigali

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An introduction ...

A religious sister put it in perspective for me a few years ago, “seven sacraments for the boys, six for the girls”.

I’ve quoted it many times since then and it summarizes a lot that is wrong with the Catholic Church today. When fully 50% of the church membership is discriminated against by being denied Holy Orders, one of the sacraments of the church, then something is wrong.

The Catholic Encyclopaedia defines sacrament thusly: “sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification”. The question for me is if the sacrament is instituted by Christ for our sanctification, then how does the Church decide to deny it to women? In the same way that all important decisions affecting Catholics are made – by a group of mostly elderly men, meeting in seclusion and invoking Church secrecy as the operating principle.

It is as if to suggest that apostolic succession somehow imbues the bishop with some special powers that other mortals do not share. Nothing could be further from the truth as we have learned time and time again.

The goal of this blog, then, will be to consider the current state of Catholicism within that context. Honest dialog is welcomed. Those who choose to hit and run with their comments are not welcome.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary , and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Mother Teresa said ...

"In Calcutta, some time ago, we went out at night and picked up four or five people from the street and took them to our Home for the Dying. One of them was in a very bad condition and I wanted to take care of her myself. I did for her all that my love could do. When I put her into bed, she took hold of my hand and there was such a wonderful smile on her face. She said one word: Thank you and she died. She gave me much more than I had given her. She gave me her grateful heart and I thought: what would I have done in her place? My answer was: I would have tried to draw some attention to myself, I would have said: I am hungry or I am cold or I am dying. But she, she was so great, she was so beautiful in her giving."