PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY OF BISHOPS FOR SXUAL ABUSE INTENSIFIES WITH CONVICTION OF KANSAS CITY BISHOP FINN............

The conviction last week in a Missouri Court of the Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, the Most Reverend Robert Finn, who was found guilty on a State misdemeanor count of failing to report suspected child abuse, becoming the first American Bishop to be charged and convicted of a criminal offense, resulting from disclosure of decades long sexual abuse of minors by clergy and religious.  Following on the conviction of Monsignor William Lynn, an Archdiocesan official in Philadelphia, earlier this summer charged with child endangerment; that the legal accountability of the Church Hierarchy, is intensifying with the verdict against Bishop Finn.  Bishop Finn also failed to inform his Diocesan Review Board Sex Abuse by Priests.  In interviews with the National Catholic Reporter newspaper, both the Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' National Review Board for Sexual Abuse by the Clergy Al Notzon III, and Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois;  the Chairman of the U.S. Bishops Conference Committee on Sexual Abuse, responded to the need to adhere to the Bishops' American Charter which was adopted a decade ago, in continuing to address the issue.  Al Notzon as National Review Board Chairman said, "My concern right now is that there is a problem, and we need to resolve it",......"Our role is to advise the Bishops and clearly this is an issue that falls under that requirement"; Notzon told the NCR, in explaining the need to address accountability by Bishops who are not following the norms and conditions of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, implemented by American Bishops in 2002.  He said the National Review Board will be making more recommendations to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at their annual meeting in November.  Bishop Conlon, Chairman of the Committee which bears the responsibility for advising the National Conference of Bishops on Sexual Abuse said all Bishops have to, "recognize", they are accountable to their people and be, "firm", in applying the requirements of the Bishops' Charter.  "We've got a long, long, way to go"......"But I think that diligent application of the Charter is essential.  That doesn't mean there is going to be 100% perfection, because we are still human beings".  Bishop Finn failed to follow notify the police of accusations reported to him by a school principal of a priest's possession of sexually graphic materials of minor age girls; as well as not informing the Diocesan Review Board of the allegations.  The priest, Fr. Shawn Ratigan, pleaded guilty on August 2nd, to federal charges of producing and attempting to produce such materials. Bishops as well as priests, religious, deacons, and laity, are now being made legally aware of the accountability they will be held to in regards to the sexual abuse of  children and young adults, and the cooperation and vigilance to faithful carry out protective measures in responding we all bear as Catholic-Christian Disciples, and American Citizens.  That last statement properly applies to the Universal Church, Worldwide; as a value to be practiced and maintained............Fr.  Troy