About Most Reverend Robert William Finn. DD
Bishop of Kansas City ~ St. Joseph

Born in St. Louis on April 2, 1953, Bishop Finn is the second of five children of the late Theodore (Pat) and Betty Schneider Finn. His family includes three sisters -- Mrs. Kathleen Fornwalt, Chesterfield, Missouri; Mrs. Patricia Bax, St. Charles, Missouri; and Mrs. Nancy Meyer, Maryland Heights, Missouri -- and one brother, Richard Finn, of Keller, Texas. Bishop Finn completed his elementary education at All Souls Catholic School in Overland, Missouri.

Bishop Finn studied for the priesthood at archdiocesan seminaries and in Rome. He is a 1971 graduate of St. Louis Preparatory Seminary North, and received a B.A. in Philosophy at Cardinal Glennon College in 1975. At the North American College in Rome, he earned a Master's in Theology in 1979 from Angelicum University. He served his Diaconate assignment in 1978-79 at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, in the Archdiocese of Westminster. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis at All Souls Parish Church on July 7, 1979.

Bishop Finn's first assignments were as associate pastor of two parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. He later was appointed to the faculty of St. Francis Borgia Regional High School in Washington, Missouri, where he taught from 1983 -1989. During those years, he lived in residence and served as part-time pastoral associate in area parishes.

In 1989, Bishop Finn received a Master's in Education Administration from St. Louis University and was appointed administrator of St. Dominic High School in O'Fallon, Missouri. During his tenure at St. Dominic's, he assisted the pastors of area parishes. He served the St. Dominic High School community until 1996.

In 1996, he was appointed Director of Continuing Formation of Priests and, in 1999, while continuing as CFP Director, he was named editor of The St. Louis Review. The Review is a weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Bishop Finn was named a Chaplain to His Holiness in August 2003, with the title of Monsignor. He served in several other capacities including chairman of the Archdiocesan Committee on the Diaconate. He is a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus. Bishop Finn's ordination to the episcopacy was May 3, 2004, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

On May 24, 2005 the Vatican accepted Bishop Boland's request for retirement. As Coadjutor, Bishop Finn automatically succeeded him as sixth bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City ~ St. Joseph.

Bishop Finn currently serves on the Administrative and the Priorities and Plans Committees for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He is a member of the Board of Regents for Conception Seminary College, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Missouri Catholic Conference, a member of the Board of Trustees for Kenrick School of Theology, a member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Athletes for Christ, a member of Priests for Life and the Knights of Columbus.