A Detroit-area Catholic priest was just sentenced to 45 days behind bars for initiating gay sex with a younger man who went to him for counseling.
The incident happened in January 2013 at the St. Theodore of Canterbury church in Westland, Michigan. 55-year-old Rev. Patrick Casey took advantage of a 24-year-old man who had come to him for assistance reconciling his homosexuality and his faith. But instead of helping the guy, Casey decided to have sex with him right there in the confessional booth.
According to the criminal complaint:
As John Doe (the victim) spoke about his struggles with suicide and his concern about dying in mortal sin, Casey, who was dressed in black clerical garb, steered the conversation towards sex, telling him that he could not have a gay relationship and go to heaven. Casey told John Doe that he was also gay and shared a suicidal story of his own. During this confession, Casey approached John Doe and told him to stand up.
From there, it is alleged Casey “began massaging John Doe’s genitalia before performing oral sex on him.”
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It wasn’t until years later that the man finally found the courage to tell the Detroit Archdiocese what had happened. A formal investigation was launched, during which Casey was interviewed and admitted to everything.
Last month, he pleaded guilty in court to a misdemeanor charge after a jury said couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict on a felony criminal sexual conduct charge.
This week, a judge sentenced him to 45 days in jail plus one year probation.
In a written statement to the court, the man, now in his 30s, said he doesn’t blame Casey entirely for what happened, though he does believe he is at least partially responsible.
“I’m not blaming all my problems on him,” he wrote. “I was messed up before I ever met him.”
“But he could have helped. And he chose not to. He contributed to it instead. For the next several years I drank heavily and constantly to cope with the pain and rage I felt.”
Casey has been removed public ministry and has been barred from representing himself as a priest or conducting any sort of church ministry while his case remains under canonical review in Rome.
myrdraal2001
So a priest has sex with an adult and gets jail time but rapes children and gets a slap on the wrist by having to move to another church. Yeah. Seems legit to these cults.
masteradrian031
Sorry, but I think you should re-read the article! The priest is NOT (yet) sentenced by a church court, this was done by a non-religious court! For your information, a court by the RCC does NOT have a jury!
ingyaom
I feel sorry for this guy—his christian religion made him hate himself, so he went to a church to confess his “sin” and he was taken advantage of by a predator priest.
It sounds like this happened a while ago, so I hope he has been able to escape the influence of the church and come to terms with his sexuality.
blackhook
Reason #10,003 why #ReligionPoisonsEverything …hocus pocus dominocus indeed!
Jinkypooh
This is rape, plain and simple! The lack of consent lies firmly with the intention of the penitent (young guy) to confess what he considered to be sin – an action of contrition, a feeling of remorse and an act of penitence.
Being a Catholic, the victim is (wrongly) conditioned not to question the actions of a priest and was therefore unable to defend himself from the actions of the rapist .
This violation is without doubt the most heinous of perversion of The Sacraments. The priest should, according to Canon Law be forbidden from hearing confessions ever again – consider what might have happened to a child in his confessional. In days past his “license to hear confessions” would be withdrawn.
I write as a happy, well adjusted and proud Gay Practicing Catholic! If you are a Gay Catholic Person, with love I beg you to condemn these wicked practices, to love and support the victims and to come out of the closet to be counted by The Church. Your sin is no more unforgivable than the sins of the clergy or bigots young & old who try to keep you from Mass and the other Sacraments!
kevininbuffalo
“Your sin is no more unforgivable…”
Being Gay and being sexually active aren’t sins.
Man About Town
Didn’t I see this on tube8?
Chris Vogel
Must have been really uncomfortable.
o.codone
Good for the priest for getting some of that young, willing piece. I mean the young man coulda walked out any time, but he choose to vote with his feet and his penis. He’s now looking for deep pockets.