Springfield Diocese: Priest Suffering from Non-sexual Self Bondage

CBS St. Louis
January 22, 2013

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/01/22/springfield-diocese-priest-suffering-from-non-sexual-self-bondage/

The Catholic Bishop of the Springfield Diocese has issued an official explanation about a rather bizarre 9-1-1 call made by one of his parish priests.

The statement from Bishop Thomas Paprocki was distributed after all the Masses this past weekend at St. Aloysius Church in Springfield.

It said Father Thomas Donovan of St. Aloyius Parish in Springfield is suffering from a psychological condition called non-sexual self bondage. It’s a condition where a person deals with the extreme stress in their live through self bondage.

“As described in the transcript of Father Donovan’s 911 call and in the police report, both of which have been released to the public, Father Donovan had bound himself in handcuffs and called for assistance when he was unable to remove them,” Bishop Paprocki said. “The police officers state that he was alone and fully clothed when they arrived at the rectory. There was no indication that anyone else had been present. No crime was committed, no one was arrested, no alcohol or drugs were involved.”

In the statement Father Donovan in quote saying, “While I have not been involved in anything illegal or anything otherwise jeopardizing the safety, welfare, or morals of other persons, I have been responding to the stresses of priestly ministry in a way that has come to compromise my own personal safety and welfare. I am under the care of a doctor to get the assistance that I need.”

Bishop Paprocki says Father Donovan is on an indefinite leave of absence for an extended period for professional help and spiritual renewal. Bishop Paprocki says nothing illegal was done, no one other than the priest was involved and there is no sexual component to this condition.