I saw this story earlier in the week. link. The story is not good, but it's unsettling to me to see church leaders striking deals to avoid prosecution.

I'm not sure what alternative you think would be better?

Resignation followed by full confession followed by a guilty plea and a prison sentence.

Since you asked.

True, but given the fact that "Finn is [now] the highest-ranking Catholic official in the country to be held criminally accountable for the alleged misconduct of a priest in his diocese," this is still a step forward in terms of accountability.

Let us now pray for Clay County Prosecutor Daniel L. White, that he or his successor will not allow the monthly court-mandated face-to-face meetings with Bishop Finn to become anything less than what they were intended to be.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

And if he's not guilty? This diversion agreement is for charges that he hasn't even been indicted on.

Well, we'll start with resignation and full confession, and then let the chips fall where they may.

In these matters the unredeemed part of me favours burning perps at the stake but that response can be validly criticised on several grounds.
What StuartK suggests in #371839 is perhaps for the best.

JB,

It is, quite frankly, in the nature of a plea bargain intended to preempt the possibility/probability of indictment - not much different than the client who opts to enter a program as an alternative to being charged and taking the risks associated with doing so.

Many years,

Neil

It being the Bishop Finn is involved with Opus Dei, comprised primarily by wealthy members of various professions, he probably had access to some of the finest legal counsel money can buy.

The last thing OD would want is for one of its high-ranking ecclesiastical affiliates to be tarred with the"he-protected-a-sacerdotal-posessor-and-purveyor-of-child-porn" brush.

In the Catholic Church, money talks. When it involves money, decency and virtue often take the back seat. That's probably true of all churches.

Again I have to beat the obvious here. While we truly expect better from Church leaders, in the secular world things are NO DIFFERENT. Has anyone here heard of Joe Paterno and Penn State? As I said last week, the instinct to protect the 'institution' would be the same in a medical college, a law school etc..... This thinking allows one to view victims as 'collateral damage' for the 'greater good' - i.e. preservation of the institution. In this way the diversion program may do some good on a national level if it causes our institutional leaders to rethink their priorities. However, I will not be staying awake waiting for this 'epiphany' to occur!