Bishop Robert Finn was convicted of covering up a child abuse scandal two years ago, and he is still the head of my church. I started a petition asking Pope Francis to request his immediate resignation.
I’m a Catholic and I take my kids to church every Sunday. Church is supposed to be a safe place. But Bishop Robert Finn, who is the head of my diocese (that’s a regional group of churches), made our church unsafe for my children when he covered up a child sex abuse scandal.
In 2012, Father Shawn Ratigan — who was a priest in a church near mine — plead guilty in U.S. Federal Court to producing and possessing child pornography. Father Ratigan used his position as a priest to take lewd images of children in his faith community.
A judge found Bishop Finn guilty of covering up Ratigan’s crimes — Bishop Finn is one of the highest level leaders in the church ever to be convicted in a sex abuse scandal.But despite his conviction, Bishop Finn still has his job as head of our diocese.
Pope Francis has called sexual child abuse “the shame of the church,” but he hasn’t taken enough action to hold child abusers and their protectors in the church accountable. Our diocese needs a leader who protects children, not one who protects their abusers.
As a Catholic, I believe in forgiveness, and I think Bishop Finn should be forgiven. But as a father, I don’t think he should keep a job where he could put more children in danger. Forgiveness and change can work together.
The Catholic church needs to see that it’s not enough to get rid of priests who abuse children — the leaders who cover up the abuse must be held accountable as well. I know that if thousands of people sign my petition, Pope Francis will call for Bishop Finn to step down.
Be a Seed for Change 
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