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September 22, 2003
Priest, diocese sued
Gaines drank between six and nine alcoholic drinks before he fell through the ceiling while crawling along a narrow, darkened crawl space at St. Anne, which is part of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish.The suit alleges that Krawczyk served drinks at the party and challenged at least one of the young men to a drinking contest. It also alleges that Krawczyk did nothing as the partiers got rowdy inside the sanctuary, watched the Playboy Channel in the rectory and used the church's sound system to sing.
The suit also accuses Krawczyk of knowing Gaines and the others were trying to crawl to the rectory roof and doing nothing to stop them.
Thanks to commentor Jim for a background piece on Krawczyk
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
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The Pittsburgh newspaper ran a long background article on this priest on Sunday: http://www.post-gazette.com/search/redir.asp?path=/localnews/20030921krawczyk0921p3.asp&date=9%2F21%2F03+1%3A28%3A19+AM
It's a very strange case in some ways, but similar to a lot of the pedophile cases in others. [This case does not involve an allegation of any kind of sexual abuse.] This priest just had very little in the way of supervision, especially after he had some earlier problems. It might just wind up being the textbook case for negligent supervision of a cleric. And he had some pretty well-known episcopal supervisors!
I'm also taken with the personal immaturity of the priest involved. How could this fellow become a pastor? According to the newspaper story, he was functioning socially like a college sophomore.
Posted by: Jim at Sep 23, 2003 6:37:52 AM
A very sad story indeed. Father Krawczyk comes across as a sad, lonely guy who needed acceptance and validation, but sought it in very inappropriate ways, with a very tragic result. As Jim said, there seems to have been a great deal of social immaturity involved too.
May God comfort Father Krawczyk as he deals with the tragedy that he helped bring about by his mistakes. May God also comfort the Gaines family, who have lost their son.
Posted by: Larry at Sep 23, 2003 8:40:48 AM
These stories come up over and over with the motif of loneliness that would sink anyone not a full-grown 24/7 mystic. I'm reminded of the laments in J.F. Powers' novels about 'priestly fellowship.' Is there any, or is friendship among priests like it is everywhere, a contest in popularity and 'cool'th? Poor Father K.
The attorney in me wonders where the money came from for $300 nights out. The Father doesn't sound independently wealthy, and indulgence in even mild immorality can create expanding ripples--a priest who will flirt in bars will perhaps steal the offering to pay for the drinks. Where are the lecturing nuns of our childhood now with their knuckle-rulers?
This isn't the worst of the stories--although the death of a boy makes it pretty awful. But it presents the life of (supposed) faith in the worst light I can think of. Dire times, these.
Posted by: atty1 at Sep 23, 2003 10:01:10 AM
Look AMY, i dont know who u think u are, but dont write bullshit on Billy Gaines! i came across your link and i notice that u wrote information on him that was not true. If you dont personally know him then i would advise you to STOP writing about him and the personal lawsuit that is going on, it is none of your business to add onto your damn website! u write about church FINE but dont write rude comments on billys family and their decision what to do about the priest!
More importantly that is someones SON or BROTHER or even BEST FRIEND and stupid rude cruel comments like "ah. well. i guess 75 million will bring their son back" thats just arrogant! how do u sleep at night knowing that someone who was close to billy, friend or family could get ahold of something like that and read it! Youre a rude bitch, think about what your saying about people, cause that could be YOURE son one day someones talking trash about!
Posted by: RachANDY at Nov 16, 2004 9:07:48 PM
Amy---
shame on you! I have to agree with RachANDY.
Billy was my cousin, who I loved and still do.
How DARE you say anything bad about the dead, and worst of all, something his family and friends would read.
As for the amount of money, his mom and dad would not spend it on anything "for fun”, at least that's what pea brains like you would think, and it's not the money!!! they KNOW Billy will not be brought back! This Priest should have been out of there years ago.
You should know the whole story before you make comments on this. There's more to this you'll ever know!!!! I pray for you and that you will not be the "butt" of such a story!
Posted by: Maggie at Nov 28, 2004 8:23:30 PM
