Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Bizarre juxtaposition kicks NOM in the teeth

You probably heard about this situation but allow me to put it in its right context.

On January 6th, the National Organization for Marriage posted the following on its blog:

Bishop Paprocki Mobilizes His Priests to Proclaim the Truth About Marriage

Bishop Thomas Paprocki is the bishop of Springfield, Illinois. Following the lead of Chicago's Archbishop, Cardinal George, he's taking a bold stand to protect marriage, instructing his priests to read this letter from the pulpit at Mass today in defense of marriage. As we've already reported, seventeen hundred faith communities have already spoken out in defense of marriage.

Then came January 7th, the day that we found out that one priest Paprocki won't be able to count on is Thomas Donovan:

The pastor of St. Aloysius church on Springfield’s north end has been granted a leave of absence after he called 911 from the rectory and told a dispatcher that he needed help getting out of handcuffs. “I’m going to need help getting out before this becomes a medical emergency,”

 Father Tom Donovan told a dispatcher who sounds a bit incredulous during the Nov. 28 call. “You’re stuck in a pair of handcuffs?” the dispatcher asks. “(I was) playing with them and I need help getting out,” Donovan responds. Donovan told the dispatcher that he was alone in the rectory. It’s not clear exactly how he ended up in handcuffs or why he feared a medical emergency. His voice sounds garbled or muffled on the tape, and sources say that police discovered some sort of gag on the priest when they arrived.
The diocese has been tight-lipped about the matter, saying only that Bishop Thomas Paprocki granted Donovan’s request for a leave of absence at some point before Christmas. The diocese knows about the incident, given that Brad Huff, an attorney for the diocese, has been given a copy of the 911 tape by the Sangamon County Emergency Telephone System Department. Kathie Sass, spokeswoman for the Diocese of Springfield, said that the diocese also has a copy of a police report on the matter. 
 

The irony of the entire thing is delicious and perhaps it should send Paprocki a message that he should tend to the business of his diocese before attempting to prevent loving couples from being  married.

NOM, to the surprise of no one, has no comment on Donovan's controversy.

2 comments:

  1. Julia7:05 AM

    Hahahaha Thank you for posting this! I always look forward to reading your posts, and as usual, I'm not disappointed.

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  2. Any sex that results in calling 911 is sinful. We can't have our emergency services running all over town to get priests out of handcuffs when someone might be having a heart attack. For shame, they should send the diocese a bill.

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