Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert Finn, who remained on the job for years after becoming the highest-ranking US 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.

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