Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City/St Joseph Diocese, has resigned.

The Catholic prelate who became a symbol of the church’s failures in addressing the sexual abuse crisis, was the first bishop criminally convicted of mishandling an abusive priest, yet remained in office for another three years.

The Vatican announced Finn’s resignation as head of the diocese in its daily news bulletin Tuesday, in what the National Catholic Reporter called a “terse note” :

 

“The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the diocese of St. Joseph-Kansas City, Mo. (United States) presented His Excellency Bishop Robert Finn.”

Pope Francis has not named a replacement as bishop.

The Vatican appointed Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann as Apostolic Administrator of the Missouri diocese until a replacement forFinn is appointed. Naumann will retain his duties in the Kansas diocese.

In a letter to addressed to the people of the diocese, Naumann asked for prayers.  He acknowledged the “vitality and beauty” of the community but also stated hs is ” keenly conscious of some of challenges and difficulties this Diocese has suffered in recent years.” The role of an administrator, by its definition he says, “is for a very short season.”

“This will not be a time for innovation or change, but a time to sustain the ordinary and essential activities of the Church, and where possible to advance the initiatives that already are under way.”

Naumann said he hoped the coming months would be “a time of grace and healing for the Diocese.”

Finn was convicted in September 2012 of one misdemeanor for failing to report child abuse suspicions. A diocese priest, Rev. Shawn Ratigan, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

It is rare for bishops in the Catholic church to resign without cause before they reach the traditional retirement age of 75. Finn is 62 and had led the diocese since 2005.

Other than for reasons of health, only one other bishop among the some 200 U.S. Catholic dioceses and eparchies has resigned his role in such a manner in at least the past decade.  No U.S. bishop has been removed for covering up for guilty clergy.

Read more in the National Catholic Reporter here.