damn I hate being right all the time
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:34 am
I almost put this in the game topics forum because it kind of relates, but after reading the snarky comments after news articles about this, I changed my mind and put it here.
Some of you RPG'ers may recall me saying that I based Fr. Wagner's addict tendencies on a real person that I knew.
That person is {removed}
I knew him for 3+ years. He's a nice guy, VERY funny, and totally dedicated to the Church. I've confessed to him, I was his altar server, and I've been to student retreats he lead. So I think I can say I knew him pretty well. I would have been more fond of him if I had not gotten this terrible addict vibe off of him.
I can't explain why my addict barometer is so sensitive, but as far as I am aware, I've never been wrong. So it really frustrated the hell out of me because while I know there are plenty of alcoholic and addicted priests in the world it just never computed that I could actually know one. I was sure that I was wrong this time. I just figured that it was a fluke thing or maybe he was addicted to food (he's a pretty big guy) and that's where I was getting it from.
A lot of the things in the RPG that came out of Wagner's mouth about God and the Catholic Church were direct quotes from him though because even though I was sure I was wrong, I'm not a priest, he was and ... he had the right vibe.
Anyway, I feel really guilty about seeing his mug shots and all the harsh judgements of him and the Catholic Church because of this. According to the director of the school's Catholic Student Center, no one was aware anything was wrong.
But I was. I've known for years; I just didn't have any proof other than my own intuition.* I occasionally did ask fellow sacristans and altar servers if he ever seemed like he was "on something". They always assured me that he was just a really cool guy and alive with the holy spirit. It turns out we were both right.
I kind of wish I had said something now.
-e
*Okay. That's not true.
Either way, it found its way in the RPG.
{Article edited to remove references to any specific people as I was contacted by news media after posting this. --SK}
[Edited on 7/12/2008 by Saint Kurt]
Some of you RPG'ers may recall me saying that I based Fr. Wagner's addict tendencies on a real person that I knew.
That person is {removed}
I knew him for 3+ years. He's a nice guy, VERY funny, and totally dedicated to the Church. I've confessed to him, I was his altar server, and I've been to student retreats he lead. So I think I can say I knew him pretty well. I would have been more fond of him if I had not gotten this terrible addict vibe off of him.
I can't explain why my addict barometer is so sensitive, but as far as I am aware, I've never been wrong. So it really frustrated the hell out of me because while I know there are plenty of alcoholic and addicted priests in the world it just never computed that I could actually know one. I was sure that I was wrong this time. I just figured that it was a fluke thing or maybe he was addicted to food (he's a pretty big guy) and that's where I was getting it from.
A lot of the things in the RPG that came out of Wagner's mouth about God and the Catholic Church were direct quotes from him though because even though I was sure I was wrong, I'm not a priest, he was and ... he had the right vibe.
Anyway, I feel really guilty about seeing his mug shots and all the harsh judgements of him and the Catholic Church because of this. According to the director of the school's Catholic Student Center, no one was aware anything was wrong.
But I was. I've known for years; I just didn't have any proof other than my own intuition.* I occasionally did ask fellow sacristans and altar servers if he ever seemed like he was "on something". They always assured me that he was just a really cool guy and alive with the holy spirit. It turns out we were both right.
I kind of wish I had said something now.
-e
*Okay. That's not true.
Either way, it found its way in the RPG.
{Article edited to remove references to any specific people as I was contacted by news media after posting this. --SK}
[Edited on 7/12/2008 by Saint Kurt]