( CNN ) 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 connection with 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 ' 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 . `` We can be assured now that if an allegation of child abuse comes to the attention of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph , there will be no hesitation to report it immediately to the proper authorities , '' Baker said . The case against Finn revolved around his diocese 's dealings with Shawn Ratigan , an Independence , Missouri , priest who pleaded guilty in August 2012 to five child pornography charges . Church officials found disturbing images on Ratigan 's computer but did n't notify police until nearly five months later , prosecutors said . In those interceding months , the priest kept on working . And Finn kept his job as bishop , even after his 2012 conviction . The official website of the Catholic diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph still listed him as its bishop Tuesday morning . Cardinal Sean O'Malley , who took over the abuse-shaken Boston archdiocese and has become one of the Pope 's point men in the United States , has acknowledged the inconsistency that someone who would n't be allowed to teach Sunday school was still running an American diocese . `` It 's a question that the Holy See needs to address urgently , '' O'Malley said in a `` 60 Minutes '' interview in November . `` There 's a recognition of that ... from Pope Francis . '' Candida Moss -- a professor at Notre Dame , a Catholic university in Indiana -- said it `` does n't look very urgent '' that a decision came down only now , nearly three years after the conviction and five months after O'Malley 's comments . Several factors may have played a role in the delay , including views from lawyers or power players at the Vatican , who may be reluctant to cast blame at high-level officials who do n't report allegations quickly enough to government authorities . But the timing of the announcement may make sense given that it comes weeks after Francis came under fire for the installation of a new bishop in Chile , Juan Barros , despite protesters ' claims he was complicit in sexual abuse cases there . `` It kind of shook Francis ' reputation , '' said Moss . `` Having this resignation and putting right one of the more visible injustices on this , especially in the U.S. , I think this is a typical Francis way to reinstall confidence . '' Now that the case has been addressed , the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese has a new leader : Kansas Archbishop Joseph Naumann . Under the Pope 's directive , Naumann will be the Kansas City diocese 's apostolic administrator , in addition to his regular responsibilities in Kansas , until a permanent bishop is appointed , according to an announcement on the diocese 's website . `` I pray that the coming weeks and months will be a time of grace and healing for the Diocese , '' Naumann said in an open letter to parishioners . `` All of us , who are privileged to serve in leadership for the Church , do so for only a season . It is not our Church , but Christ 's Church . '' Moss , the Notre Dame professor , predicted that the shuffling at the western Missouri diocese will be `` very well received , '' though some may question why it took so long . `` It 's not just that it 's late , '' Moss said , `` but it 's that Francis could have been more explicit . '' To that point , the co-director of BishopAccountability.org asked for more elaboration than the Vatican 's one-line announcement that Francis accepted the resignation `` in accordance with ... Canon Law . '' Anne Doyle , from the watchdog group that documents the Catholic church 's abuse crisis , called Finn 's removal `` a good step but just the beginning . '' `` The pope must show that this decision represents a meaningful shift in papal practice -- that it signals a new era in bishop accountability , '' Doyle said . `` ... What no pope has done to date is publicly confirm that he removed a culpable bishop because of his failure to make children 's safety his first priority . We urge Pope Francis to issue such a statement immediately . '' CNN 's AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report .
Expert : Decision ` ` does n't look very urgent , '' but it seems ` ` well - timed '' for diocesan Francis . Robert ` becomes a suspect after a 2012 conviction for failing to report misconduct . Leader of this group calls the Pope 's decision ` ` a good step but just the beginning ''