Pope accepts resignation of Robert Finn, convicted U.S. bishop

Pope accepts resignation of Robert
Finn, convicted U.S. Bishop.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert Finn, who remained on the job for years after becoming the highest-ranking U.S. Catholic official
convicted in the church's long-running sex abuse scandal, the Vatican announced Tuesday.

Finn, who led the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, was found guilty in 2012 of failure to report suspected child abuse .
The case was tried by a judge instead of by jury because  prosecutors wanted to protect the young victims' anonymity.

Finn was convicted of one count but not a misdemeanor charge he'd also faced. He was put on two years of
probation but was not forced to spend time in jail or pay a fine, according to the Jackson County Prosecuting
Attorney's Office. Two charges against his diocese were dropped.

At the time of his conviction, Finn said, according to CNN affiliate KCTV: "I truly regret and am sorry for the hurt
these events have caused." Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said the
conviction and penalty, which included starting a $10,000 fund for sexual abuse counseling and mandatory training
for church officials on how to report abuse, would have positive ramifications.