story by Helen Wheatley, photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert Finn, former bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph. Finn is the first bishop to plead guilty to charges of failing to report a priest suspected of child sex abuse.

The Vatican said that Finn offered his resignation under the Code of Canon Law that states a bishop can resign because of “ill health or some other grave cause.” Finn’s resignation did not state a reason.

In 2012, Finn was sentenced to two years of probation. He had waited six months before informing police that inappropriate photos of children at a diocese school were found on Rev. Shawn Ratigan’s computer. Finn instead ordered Ratigan to undergo psychiatric evaluation and sent him to a convent under orders to have no contact with children. Finn remains the highest-ranking church official to be convicted of failing to take action in response to abuse allegations.