KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 6 (UPI) -- Missouri Catholics are angry a bishop failed to quickly respond to warnings about a priest accused of having child pornography.
In a statement Sunday, Bishop Robert Finn accepted responsibility for not acting more quickly to warnings about the Rev. Shawn F. Ratigan, who was charged last month with possession child pornography.
However, he did not offer to resign, as some wanted, the Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported.
"As bishop, I take full responsibility for these failures and sincerely apologize to you for them," Finn said in a statement that was read to 98 parishes. "Clearly, we have to do more."
Ratigan, 45, is charged in Clay County, Mo., with three counts of possessing child pornography. The photos he allegedly had were reportedly taken when he was working for churches and schools in the area.
Ratigan said he is innocent. He was being held in custody in lieu of a $200,000 bond.
A Catholic school principal warned the Kansas City diocese a year ago about Ratigan's alleged troubling behavior around girls.
Finn's apology didn't appease all of his critics.
David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, called Finn's words "cheap" and "vague."
"As long as he keeps using words like 'failure' and 'error' instead of words like 'complicity' and 'secrecy,' there will be no reform or healing," Clohessy said. "There's no indication that (the apology) is predicated on a real understanding or admission of his wrongdoing."
