ARTelevision

Monsignor is arrested at resort

from the cleveland morning journal:

HURON TOWNSHIP -- A Byzantine monsignor was arrested yesterday morning on charges of sexual imposition and public indecency at a Huron Township resort, according to the Erie County Sheriff's Office.
Monsignor Robert V. Yarnovitz, 74, of St. John Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Parma, allegedly was half naked when he grabbed a woman's breast, touched the crotch of a man and attempted to touch the crotch of an Erie County sheriff's deputy, according to the sheriff's office.

At 1:15 a.m., deputies were called to the Lodge at Sawmill Creek for a report of an intoxicated male causing a disturbance. A female front desk clerk told police a man pulled a fire alarm in one of the hallways and she went to investigate.

''In the hallway, she found Father Yarnovitz naked from the waist down next to the fire alarm,'' said Capt. Paul Sigsworth.

Yarnovitz had been attending a church conference at the lodge, Sigsworth said.

Yarnovitz then allegedly grabbed one of the woman's breasts as she was talking to him, Sigsworth said.

''He was highly intoxicated,'' Sigsworth said. ''She jerked away from him and two male employees showed up.''

Yarnovitz allegedly was yelling ''vile vulgarities'' and sexual demands at the lodge workers, and kept repeating the name ''Michael,'' Sigsworth said. One of the two male workers told police Yarnovitz touched his genitals, according to reports.

When deputies arrived, they found Yarnovitz sitting in a chair, wearing only a button-down shirt and one sock, Sigsworth said.

''He tried to grab one of the deputies in the genital area,'' Sigsworth said, adding that Yarnovitz was extremely uncooperative with police.

He was arrested for two counts of sexual imposition, one count of attempted sexual imposition, one count of public indecency and one count of persistent disorderly conduct, Sigsworth said.

Yarnovitz was detained at the Erie County Jail until he posted bond, Sigsworth said. He is scheduled to appear at Huron Municipal Court today at 9 a.m.

Father Nick Rachford, a representative from the Eparchy of Parma, said the alleged incident was ''out of character'' for Yarnovitz, and blamed his reported behavior on medication he recently started taking.

''It appears to be an unexpected reaction between medication and drinks at the hotel,'' Rachford said. ''Nothing like this has occurred with him before.''

Yarnovitz is not known as a volatile person, Rachford said.

''He says Masses prayerfully, and he preaches marvelously,'' he said. ''I hate to see someone castigated in the media for something that wasn't his fault. It was the medication.''

There is nothing in Canon law that would require ''external punishment'' for Yarnovitz's actions, but that will be in the hands of the bishop, Rachford said.

''If some action is not delivered consciously, it is not a sin,'' he said.

Management at the Lodge at Sawmill Creek said they had no comment on the incident.
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The zinger at the end of the story is what gets to me.
Like Father What's-is-name feels like the most important thing to do is make sure we cut the offensive Byzantine monsignor a break....since in his opinion "god" does...

don't get me started.

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Reese

Why was he drinking at the hotel? You'd have to be conscious before you take the first drink wouldn't you? This is retarded and the guy should be punished, even if God forgives him. This story kind of hits me on a nerve :/

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Minx

Yup...that's what booze will do to a person!
Sorry but a drunk is a drunk at one in the morning and I don't care if he's a doctor, lawyer, priest, whatever...he's still drunk (and obviously) beligerant.
If this "father" jumped in a car while drunk and killed someone would he be innocent? I think not people!

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Empty_One

Just one more reason to go out and give your 20% tithe to the Church on Sunday.

Peetster

It's 10%, Empty.

Whether something is considered "sinful" is a completely different discussion than whether something is "legal". His actions clearly should have legal consequences. This is seperation of Church and State at its finest.

paddyjoe

I'll bet this guy's a riot in the confessional

Lebell

Folks,

If they guy did suffer from a pharmacuetical reaction, the I think he needs to be cut a break.

On the flip, if he didn't then he needs to be treated like anyone else.

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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis

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Big Julie

He was a Navy Chaplain at Tailhook.....(that was a Navy fliers thing, wasn't it?)

Peetster

Oh, good one, Julie! :-)

guthmund

Mix one part medication....
two parts alcohol.....
and stir with pent up sexual repression.....

loads of laughs and lots of fun.....for all ages!

I don't care if he was on medication or not.

If I got naked and ran through the Elementary school while pulling the fire alarm with a touch of Tourette's....I get in trouble and do the time.....regardless of what I was hopped up on.

Just because he's old, on medication and of the cloth does not entitle the old dirty monsignor to flash the battered, wrinkled bishop to the members of his flock.

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impirius7

well shit, i need to be unconscious more often, then i wouldn't be sinning as much! and yeah, the bit about the medication and drinks is probably crap, he was just wasted.

Janie

didn't anyone (a doctor, say) explain to him that mixing alcohol and medication is not a smart move?

and yes, +1 for the legal action. next time maybe he'll reconsider drinking the alcobevs.

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Troublebot

This was my thought. Most meds I see are clearly labled "Do not mix with alcohol."

If he decided to take that first drink, it was a "conscious" decision.

Let the law take care of him first. He can go to confessional and get right with God after he's done his time.

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Charlatan

If this was just some old guy who mixed his meds and alcohol no one would give a damn... add a cassock and collar and suddenly everyone cares...

This is just another example of, "who cares".

This isn't news. It is entertainment and all it does is show a lack of respect.

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ARTelevision

yes. I do also care about normative citizens mixing meds and alcohol. the additional status afforded the frocked among us renders them public personas and available for extra scrutiny. add to that a spiritual/moral bully pulpit position and we have grounds for holding them to some higher standards. IMO when they stoop to below the standards we hold normative for citizens, it's time to remind them and - more importantly us - of their foibles and their fallability and issue some public rebukes.

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Charlatan

There is public rebuke and then there is PUBLIC REBUKE...

Dragging this guy all over the US press is pointless... He made an ass of himself, people do this all the time.

Yes he is a Monsignor and he conduct should be looked into... however, the level at which he will be scrutinized FAR outweighs the level of his actions.

The only reason this story is getting any coverage is that it is titlilating... If I felt for a moment that it was anything other than. "Did you hear the one about the priest who got pissed and started grabbing bobbies and crotches" I might feel differently.

Now. If it turned out that this guy has a pattern of getting hopped up on chemicals and acting like this, I would say bring on the SCRUTINY. He would deserve to be outed.

However, with little context to his actions this man will be hung out to dry. Any retraction or additional information brought to bear will be lost in the glare of tomorrow's titilation...

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sbscout

One's inhibitions being repressed by alcohol, one tends to go after things from which one is deprived.

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