Oct 18, 2005

Priest suicide

Stories like these fill me with a profound sadness. I pray for his soul and for divine assistance for his poor family.

New York Post reports ...

A Staten Island priest hanged himself in an apparent suicide last night inside his church's rectory, police said.

The priest, identified by the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in New Dorp as the Rev. James Pilsner, 35, had been missing since 3 p.m., law-enforcement sources said. Another priest went to Pilsner's room and noticed the door was locked. He went to get a spare key and, when he opened the door, found Pilsner hanging from a rope attached to a chin-up bar, the sources said.

Pilsner was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

"All I can tell you is Father James Pilsner died this evening in the rectory," said the pastor, the Rev. John Sheehan.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2282-2283

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide.

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"But the sources said that it was a suicide and that Pilsner had been treated for depression."

Source

7:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lord have mercy on his soul....Mary Mother of God, I reccommend this priest's soul to your efficacious prayers. Amen

10:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This report of the priest sounds suspicious,I mean ,I did a google search on Fr. Pilsner and he showed up as this same priest a priest who belongs to the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy this is an orthodox meanning conservative) group of Catholic priests. I have suspicions on his death . I wonder who out there knows about Father James Pilsner character did he reveal anything about homosexuals in the diocese and maybe it was murder . I am just throwing that out there . God Bless.

10:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

He taught at our lady of the assumption school in the bronx. he didn't seem like he was depressed and was always smiling. This is shocking.

2:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think the apple was on the table. Everybody gets thirsty. Even Peter Pan eats apples. I wonder what is the magic word for please. That's something to think about. Why are there apples and Peter Pan.

2:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I grew up in OLQP parish. Some of my family still live there. Fr. Pilsner (who has two brothers who are also priests) had been treated for depression shortly after he arrived at that parish. He was well-liked, but my mother described him as "withdrawn". Pray for his family. This is the second child his parents have lost. His sister passed away just a few years ago.

1:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I grew up in Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. Among his many responsibilites at the parish, Father Pilsner was moderator of the Eucharistic Ministers and Church Lectors. He invited me to be a Lector and it was in doing so that I got to spend some time with him and see how truly wonderful an individual, and truly wonderful priest, he was. He was very traditional/conservative and I noticed that immediately in speaking with him about Church Doctrines and the Bible. It was quite refreshing to hear him speak. He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. I am deeply saddened by this tremendous loss. It breaks my heart to think he was so sad and depressed to do this. I am very shaken by this news.

8:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jim was a true freind with whom I attended college. But for him I might not enjoy the faith I do today. My heart is so saddened by this I can barely breathe. Mary Qeen of Peace, Pray for him.

8:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fr. Pilsner had talked about homosexuality and how this was wrong and not accepted by the Church. In fact when he was at Our Lady of the Assumption in the Bronx, he gave a long sermon entirely on how homosexuality was unacceptable in the Catholic Church, which I was there to hear. I was shocked at the courage that he had in saying such things, and also pleased that there were still people willing to stand up for Christianity. His sermon was so good that he received a loud and long round of applause when he stepped down from the pulpit. I will continue to pray for his soul.

6:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We miss him... I have him in my prayers daily. Friend from OLA

1:06 PM  
Blogger Quintero said...

Dear Vin,

It is very good of you to write and to let everyone know that you pray for the late Father Pilsner, God have mercy on his soul.

May we all keep him in prayer, as well as all others who have taken their lives, and for that matter, everyone afflicted with conditions such as depression, including our bishops, priests and religious.

May Jesus and His Mother Mary console you and all who knew and loved Father Pilsner, especially his family. Amen.

7:48 PM  

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