Handcuffed Catholic priest was suffering from ‘stress-related self-bondage’ What does it really tell us about the views of society?

US: Handcuffed Catholic priest was suffering from ‘stress-related self-bondage’ says bishop

A Catholic priest in Illinois, who last year got stuck in a pair of handcuffs, was engaged in “non-sexual” conduct at the time, and the event was brought on by “stress” – according to a bishop.

The incident happened on 28 November when Father Tom Donovan of St Aloysius Church, Springfield, Illinois, called 911 from the rectory and told a dispatcher that he needed help getting out of handcuffs.

The Illinois Times quoted sources as suggesting the priest was also wearing some sort of gag – as his voice sounded garbled or muffled on the 911 audio recording.

Father Donovan has since taken a leave of absence from his church.

In a statement on Tuesday, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois said: “On December 8th, I met with Father Donovan and Monsignor Carl Kemme, my Vicar General, in my office at the Catholic Pastoral Center.

“Father Donovan said that he was mortified by what happened and acknowledged that the information that had been reported to me was basically accurate. He insisted that he had been alone the whole time of this incident and denied that there was any sexual component to this.”

The statement added that Father Donovan “is being treated by a clinical therapist and is receiving appropriate medical care” and that he is “suffering from a psychological condition that manifests itself in self-bondage as a response to stress.”

ARTICLE HERE

Bishop in charge of Illinois priest who called 911 after getting stuck in handcuffs defends him, releases statement:

 "The unfortunate result of such patterns of life—in no way limited to the experience of Catholic priests—is that persons often find themselves seeking patterns of 'self-medication' to soothe emotional turmoil. Alcoholism, the use of illicit drugs, compulsive gambling, sexual acting out and the use of pornography are some of the more common manifestations, none of which were present in this situation.

Instead, according to the clinical therapist, Father Donovan is suffering from a psychological condition that manifests itself in self-bondage as a response to stress.* The clinical therapist also confirms that the strict absence of illicit sexual behaviors, relationships, and patterns reveal that this self-bondage is to be understood as non-sexual in nature."

ARTICLE HERE

Bondage priest: Illinois incident raises some interesting questions

BY BARRY DUKE – JANUARY 14, 2013

WHEN police were called late last year to free father Thomas Donovan from a pair of handcuffs, they made haste to the St Aloysius Church rectory in Springfield, where they found him with his hands cuffed behind him, and a gag in his mouth.

Father Donovan and a pair of cuffs

Which begs the question: how did he manage to speak so clearly when he telephoned for help?  I can vouch for the fact that one can only issue muffled cries with a bit between your teeth.

But you can clearly hear a recording of his call for assistance on this link.

The Springfield Police Department report reveals that when officers arrived at the church at 4:45 am on November 28, they found the priest wearing an orange jumpsuit and:

A leather bondage type mask with bar in his mouth.

His hands were also cuffed BEHIND his back.

Donovan declined medical treatment after he was uncuffed by cops, who asked if anyone else was in the rectory. The priest, who said he was alone, told officers that he:

Put himself in this configuration and does this from time to time.

Donovan explained to police that:

This time he put the handcuffs on with the keyhole up instead of down.

This prevented him from freeing himself with a handcuff key (which he showed to officers). The cops left after Donovan apologised to them.

The priest, now on leave from his post with the Diocese of Springfield, did not further detail why he placed himself in such an unorthodox “configuration.”

The report opened up a floodgate of speculation from commenters:

Said one:

Begs the question as to who was there with him. If I had to take a guess: he either got double-crossed by the kid who tied him up or he met a hooker who decided to rob him instead.

Another said:

His faith was strong but he needed proof … and the summoner called in Brethren under the direction of the instrument that calleth 911 … and his chains and his bondage were cast aside …

A third said:

He certainly is not the Harry Houdini of the priesthood, but no doubt he will improve with practice.

I was rather surprised that no-one suggested that ALL priests should be bound and gagged.

FULL ARTICLE

SUMMARY BY ME......

So, Stress = Bondage = getting treated by a clinical therapist and then receiving appropriate medical care = because we are “suffering from a psychological condition.." =  which is an 'unfortunate result of such patterns of life' = so we need 'self-medication' to soothe our emotional turmoil = and choose bondage instead of Alcoholism, the use of illicit drugs, compulsive gambling, sexual acting out and the use of pornography, which are all listed in the same class.

Hmm, seems I'm done for!