Bishop Thomas Paprocki: Anti-Gay Exorcisms Are Totally An Act Of Love

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG:  In September 2012, Paprocki told his diocese that if they vote for a Democrat, Satan will take their soul. In January of 2013, Paprocki testified against same-sex marriage before the Illinois legislature. Paprocki then ordered all of the priests in his parish to read an anti-gay letter to their congregations.  Also in January 2013, Paprocki defended a priest in his diocese who was forced to call 911 to get him out of the handcuffs and ball-gag that he'd put on during some totally-not-gay self-pleasuring. According to Paprocki, the priest was merely engaging in "non-sexual self-bondage" as a means of relieving stress. Uh-HUH.

Tweet Of The Day - Thomas Peters

We're still wondering why Brown and NOM failed to participate in last week's social media fundraising campaign for Peters' medical care. According to his blog, they raised $60K. Not incidentally, Peters' follow-up tweet to this one links to a Catholic Vote story about Bishop Thomas Paprocki's gay marriage exorcism in Illinois. An excerpt from Paprocki's words:

The work of discouragement by the Devil in same-sex marriage is apparent in the message being conveyed to defenders of traditional marriage that the universal redefinition of marriage is unstoppable, so we might as well just stop trying. But the legalization of abortion on demand forty years ago did not silence those who believe that abortion is contrary to God’s law. On the contrary, Roe v. Wade only heightened the need for more concerted efforts to protect all human life from conception to natural death. So, too, the legal redefinition of civil marriage does not put an end to the need for discourse and action to defend natural marriage in accord with God’s plan, but only serves to heighten the need for greater efforts in this regard.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki Exorcizes Gay Marriage Demons Out Of Illinois

Above is a page from yesterday's program at the gay marriage exorcism held in Illinois by Bishop Thomas Paprocki.

The head of the Springfield Diocese delivered his remarks to a large crowd of worshippers in the cavernous Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception only blocks from the Capitol, where lawmakers approved the same-sex marriage legislation two weeks ago. "I exorcise you, every unclean sprit, every power of darkness, every incursion of the infernal enemy, every diabolical legion, cohort and faction, in the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ," Paprocki said during the hourlong ceremony 200 miles from the bill-signing celebration in Chicago. The exorcism performed is known as a minor one in the pantheon of the practice, said Paprocki, who noted similar renouncements of the devil in the acts of baptisms and confirmations.

Afterward, the bishop said he did not expect people to see instant results, restating a point he made during the service that Hollywood had sensationalized exorcisms. He maintained his remarks "are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the church." Yet Paprocki also charged that "politicians responsible for enacting civil same-sex marriage legislation are morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin." "We must pray for forgiveness of these sins and deliverance from this evil which has penetrated our state and our church," Paprocki said.

A small group of pro-gay Catholics protested outside the cathedral during the exorcism rite.

ILLINOIS: Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki To Exorcise State Of Gay Demons After Governor Signs Marriage Equality Bill

Next Wednesday, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will sign the marriage equality bill in a ceremony at the state capitol. At the same time, also in Springfield, Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki plans to hold a prayer of exorcism to rid the state of all those happy, dancing, homosexual demons. Seriously.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki will offer “Prayers of Supplication and Exorcism in Reparation for the Sin of Same-Sex Marriage” at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sixth and Lawrence streets in Springfield, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 4 to 5 p.m. Clergy, religious and laity are invited to attend. “The context for this prayer service may be understood by recalling the words of Pope Francis when he faced a similar situation as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 2010,” Bishop Paprocki said. Bishop Paprocki noted, “The pope’s reference to the ‘father of lies’ comes from the Gospel of John (8:44), where Jesus refers to the devil as ‘a liar and the father of lies.’ So Pope Francis is saying that same-sex ‘marriage’ comes from the devil and should be condemned as such.

More about the ceremony:

The prayers for “Supplication and Exorcism Which May Be Used in Particular Circumstances of the Church” are taken from the Appendices to the 2004 Latin edition of the Rite of Exorcism, the introduction to which explains, “The presence of the Devil and other demons appears and exists not only in the tempting or tormenting of persons, but also in the penetration of things and places in a certain manner by their activity, and in various forms of opposition to and persecution of the church. If the diocesan bishop, in particular situations, judges it appropriate to announce gatherings of the faithful for prayer, under the leadership and direction of a priest, elements for arranging a rite of supplication may be taken from [the texts provided in these appendices].” Bishop Paprocki said that since same-sex marriage is contrary to the plan of God (see Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9), those who contract civil same-sex marriage are culpable of serious sin. He also noted that politicians who enacted civil same-sex marriage legislation are “morally complicit as co-operators in facilitating this grave sin.”

O-M-JEEBUS, somebody PLEASE bring a truckload of Sisters in for that exorcism!

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG:  In September 2012, Paprocki told his diocese that if they vote for a Democrat, Satan will take their soul. In January of this year, Paprocki testified against same-sex marriage before the Illinois legislature. Paprocki then ordered all of the priests in his parish to read an anti-gay letter to their congregations.  Also in January of this year, Paprocki defended a priest in his diocese who was forced to call 911 to get him out of the handcuffs and ball-gag that he'd put on during some totally-not-gay self-pleasuring. According to Paprocki, the priest was merely engaging in "non-sexual self-bondage" as a means of relieving stress. Uh-HUH. Just for fun, here's that 911 call one more time. Listen to the priest try to mumble directions through the ball-gag.

Illinois Bishop On His Handcuffed & Gagged Priest: It Was Non-Sexual Self-Bondage Because He Was Alone

Remember the priest who called 911 for help getting out of his handcuffs and mouth gag?  Today that priest's boss, Diocese of Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki (left), is telling the press that that there was "no sexual component" to the incident because the priest had been alone at the time. Uh-huh. According to Paprocki, "self-bondage" was merely the priest's way of alleviating the stress of his job.

Here's an excerpt of Paprocki's 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.

Father Donovan appears to have been completely forthright with me in his account of this event, which is consistent with the public record. In the face of the embarrassment of these revelations, the subsequent attention of the press, and the widespread distribution of misinformation found on the Internet and elsewhere, he asks for the basic respect of accurate reporting of the event, the correction of untrue defamatory information arising from unsubstantiated rumors and claims, and the privacy now to heal from the trauma of this event and the original stress that precipitated it.

Paprocki goes on to post a definition of "non-sexual self-bondage." (Tipped by JMG reader Andrew)

RELATED: Earlier this month Paprocki appeared at the Illinois state house to testify against that state's proposed same-sex marriage bill.  The following Sunday he ordered all the parishes in his diocese to read an anti-gay letter during mass.  In September, Paprocki posted a YouTube video in which he warned that Satan "will take the souls" of any Catholic who votes for a Democrat.

CORRECTION: An earlier draft of this post misidentified Paprocki as being from Connecticut, home of last week's "cross-dressing meth priest" story. I'm getting all these kinky priest stories mixed up!

Illinois Bishop Who Put "Handcuffs & Ball-Gag Priest" On Leave Testified Against Same-Sex Marriage Yesterday

Yesterday Diocese of Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki testified against same-sex marriage before the Illinois state Senate. His testimony came just days after he was forced to put one of his own kinky priests on leave for calling 911 to get help to free himself from handcuffs and a mouth gag.

NO SEX UNTIL MARRIAGE!

Below is the letter Paprocki is demanding that all priests in his diocese read aloud this Sunday. NOM blogger Thomas Peters has also posted the letter on his blog at Catholic Vote. (Psst: They use Disqus.)