Priest saves children then drowns

[IndianaGreen]

Not all priests are pedophiles, most are not, and some are even heroes!

For my Catholic friends in DU:

Priest saves children then drowns
Thursday, July 31, 2003 Posted: 1254 GMT ( 8:54 PM HKT)

ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- An Italian parish priest jumped into the sea and saved seven children before drowning.

Father Stefano Gorzegno, 44, dived into the waves in his priestly robes when the children got trapped by strong undercurrents, but collapsed with his lungs full of water, local police said.

He had taken about 50 children aged between 12 and 16 to Termoli, on the Adriatic coast, on a day trip Wednesday. Seven of them got into difficulties.

"He saved all of them, but just barely," a local police officer told Reuters. "A hero's funeral will be held on Friday morning."

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/07/31/italy.priest.reut/index.html

[XanaDUer]

1. Thank you, IG

I cannot tell you of all the selfless, wonderful clergy I have had the priviledge to know.


:)

[Octafish]

3. Me too.

They saved my life.

Thanks, LibertyChick! Thanks, IndianaGreen!

Thanks, Father Art! I know you can hear me. Thank you for everything!

[blm]

4. Same here....

Thankyou, IG.

[Monaco]

2. At least get his name right

His name was D. Stefano Garzegna

[DemBones DemBones]

10. If it's wrong, it's CNN who got it wrong, not Indiana Green!

Check the CNN story and you'll see.

[David Zephyr]

5. Nice, IG!

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

[XanaDUer]

6. And don't forget Bishop Romero

assasinated for standing up to the American-supported, right-wing thugs in Central America, demanding they stop the violence against the poor and those pleading for a better life.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Romero was a great hero!

Standing up as he did against the death squads in El Salvador.

Oscar Romero
by Craig Johnson

"Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty."

Individuals often become heroes because of the extraordinary courage they demonstrate. An unyielding determination to do what is right, true, and just became a guiding principle for Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. He demanded peace, a peace that could only be found in human rights and assurances of basic dignities. He informed the world about all the people who had been tortured, slaughtered, and of those who had "disappeared" in his country, El Salvador. He told the truth, but like many great leaders who have fought for truth, Romero was assassinated. A single bullet transformed him into a martyr. His life was taken, but his voice could not be silenced.

Romero became a beacon of hope in a country ravaged by poverty, injustice, and sorrow. As with many Central American countries, El Salvador was a national security state, a country where the military is accountable to no one and the people are defenseless against tyranny and oppression. There was no peace. In the face of this injustice, Romero took it upon himself to use the Church as a light of hope and to challenge the oppressors.

http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/peaceheroes/oscar_romero.html

[inthecorneroverhere]

8. Thanks for this post! (no text)

.

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Thanks, IG! The "bad guys" of any group get the most press but

they're the minority. It's a shame this good priest lost his own life in this rescue.

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. I'm sorry he's dead but he was irresonsible and reckless

I think anyone who's tried to take just 5 kids anywhere would agree with me that taking 50 kids to swim at a dangerous location with no lifeguards is irresponsible and dangerous.

I'm sorry he lost his life, but that's karma for you. They guy was a fucking idiot and if he hadn't died saving the kids he put in harm's way, he would surely have been locked up for his reckless disregard for the safety of his charges.


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[Name removed]

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[Cronus Protagonist]

17. *Plonk*

Buh bye

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

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[Cronus Protagonist]

38. I wish you people would address the points I made

Instead of resorting to name calling and (not in your case) patronising.

Did the guy take 50 kids to a dangerous location or not? Is that OK with you? If I took 50 kids rock climbging and died saving them from a precipice, would I also be a hero? Why?

Please do address the issues. Thanks.


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[ze_dscherman]

21. Not the whole world has been sanitized yet

Lots of beaches without lifeguards in Italy, and I remember it pretty common that people there take a swim everywhere, except when it's known to be a dangerous place. Remember, this guy was an experienced diver, so he would know the risks.

And where did you read it was a dangerous beach? Perilous undercurrents may just develop unnoticed on seemingly harmless beaches. Happened to me, and I still remember how hard it was to get out after more than 20 years. Also, these were not little kids, but aged 12-16.

You seem to come to the bashing pretty hastily, and based on very little knowledge of the real circumstances.

[fortyfeetunder]

29. There are some safety issues

Sure the priest made a selfless act costing him his life, but there are some safety issues here.

1) if this was an unguarded beach, why didn't anyone (with this large a group of kids) take some safety equipment? Even a rope would have helped.
2) Hmmm. He was described as an experienced scuba diver. I know rec.scuba will have a field day on this one...the word experience has several connotations - depends on his level of training!
3) Had I been him would have stripped to something a little more managable at the beach. Even the rescue diving classes have some safety do's don'ts...Those clothes certainly weighed him down during his rescue attempts.
4) Kids are 12-16. Again this is an assumption, we don't know whether they got any water safety lessons before going in the water.




Edited to add my issues

[NewYorkerfromMass]

30. NOTE to Swimmers: REMOVE YOUR CLOTHES FIRST!!!

they tend to get heavy and will drag you down.

Anyway, as an ex-Catholic, my prayers go out to this wonderful man and his friends and family.

[Cronus Protagonist]

43. Thank you for addressing the issues

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going to be scapegoated today :)


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[Cronus Protagonist]

42. I don't think I was bashing him

I think I was calling attention to the reality that taking 50 (FIFTY) children to a swim location with no lifeguards was reckeless and dangerous. I think he has some responsibility in the matter. I guess you don't agree.

Yes, it's true there are many locations where people swim all the time, and I presume that this was a local swimming beach, but evbery experienced swimmer, and particularly a diver, knows that undertows happen on just about every beach when the tides are at a certain point.

Ah sure, I could have tried to make my language a little more PC, but I'm not good at that, so you'll have to work with me on this.

Handling 5 kids is like herding cats, 20 is almost impossible, which is why we have so many teacher's aides in schools, 50 kids is bascially a rabble.

However, perhaps the story was inaccurate and he just happened to be there and saved them all, in which case, he's a bona fide hero. That's not what the newspaper report said, though, and that's all we have to go on.

Again, I'm sorry he died, and I'm glad he saved them, but I'm also pretty darn sure that if any had been injured and he was still alive he would be in a court of law answering to criminal and civil charges for taking all these kids to a dangerous location with inadequate supervision.


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[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

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[Cronus Protagonist]

44. I wish I knew what you meant by that

Just out of morbid curiosity.


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[NYC]

37. When I was younger than 12, we went swimming unsupervised.

No priest, no lifeguards. We just walked to the beach, and went swimming. We all knew that we should not swim alone; there should be two of us. But, we were far younger than 12.

Not every child is "controlled". You call him a "fucking idiot" because he took 50 12 to 16 year olds swimming. When I was a child, we were all allowed to swim in the ocean without a "fucking idiot" to supervise.

Maybe he was doing them a favor by escorting them.

[Cronus Protagonist]

45. OK I take back the "fucking idiot" comment

His actions were "reckless and irresponsible", for endangering the lives of 50 children. I wasn't intending to bash him, just his actions. I'll try to phrase my words better in future.


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[NYC]

51. Maybe where he lives it is customary for children to go swimming

alone. In that case, he couldn't be held responsible for endangering anybody. Different places have different customs.

Different societies change at different paces. In the U.S., maybe there is now no beach where children can swim without adult supervision without the parent risking a charge of child neglect or abuse. Maybe in Italy, children still roam "freer" than here.

You think this is abuse and/or neglect. Because of your attitude, I assume it IS abuse and/or neglect in your community. It may not be in other communities.

In any case, I'm glad you took back the "fucking idiot".

[Uzybone]

40. Get real

the guy was a fucking idiot??? Becasue he tried to save several drowning kids? Would have preferred he stood there and called on Hail Mary to rescue the kids?

[Cronus Protagonist]

46. No, he was reckless and irresponsible

For taking 50 kids to a dangerous location with no safety equipment, no lifeguards and with inadequate supervision.


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[Redleg]

59. Nice, really compassionate.

You may be right but that's still a nasty fucking thing to say about a dead guy who tried to save lives.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

61. Your reaction is conclusionary based on the dearth of info in the

article.

The kids were of varying ages and the ground rules of the trip were not published. Some of the older kids could have been in charge of watching the younger kids. This is not American ( you're an adult when you are 18) culture.

YOu also assume he PUT them in harms way. What we KNOW is he took them to the beach, some got caught in a rip tide and he saved them and drowned. Everything else is speculation.

[nini]

63. The article didn't give enough info to know who else was there.

there could have been 20 other adults around who were too afraid to jump in to help... the point is he went to save them and was successful.. lighten up.

[montana_hazeleyes]

12. What a caring,unselfish,wonderful man he is.

I'm not Catholic, but I see him as a hero.

[Catherine Vincent]

13. A positive story regarding priests for a change!

A lot of parents were blessed because of his heroic actions.

[Tinoire]

14. RIP Father

Thank you IG for this story. It's very touching and inspiring.

Reminds me of Owen Meany (from Irving's book 'A Prayer for Owen Meany').

Peace

[tedzbear]

16. Ratio of 1 adult to 50 children at the ocean is kind of irresponsible, no?

Especially when there's no life guard on duty!!!
Too bad he had to die because of his negligence. Thank God none of the children drowned.

[iam]

25. Thank god?

Are you also thanking god that the Priest drowned? Or did that nasty old fall guy the devil do it?

[Cronus Protagonist]

48. Oh come on.

Don't demonize the messenger. No one is happy the guy died, and everyone commended his actions to rectify the situation. The issue is that he was also irresponsible and negligent in his actions by putting the kids into danger.

Sure, some kids might swim on their own, and some may drown due to the reckless abandonment of youth, but this man was a community leader, a supposedly responsible adult and he screwed up. Luckily he was able to save the kids, but that doesn't alter the fact that his judgement was extremely poor in putting the kids in danger in the first place.


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[tedzbear]

57. Where the hell did you draw that interpretation????

Don't put words in my mouth, you jerk.

Sounds like you expect me to give the man kudos just because everybody else is doing so OR because of your own opinion. Listen: I have the right to my interpretation and opinion of this story as it appears, and I don't need you to correct me on it.

I'm sorry but I think this tragedy could have had a different outcome if this man had been more responsible. If I had made the same misjudgment as he did, I hope I would attempt to save those children too. It would be my duty as a responsible HUMAN BEING, not because I'm Catholic.

[DemBones DemBones]

28. The brief article doesn't say he was the only adult with the teens

so making assumptions is unwise.

As a teacher, I took large groups of teenagers on field trips, in the sense that I was the one who organized and led the trips, but I always had plenty of other adults along to help supervise.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

34. dembones thank you for pointing this very important point out

[Cronus Protagonist]

50. I think it says he took them and he saved them

True, it doesn't mention anyone else in an adult capacity, and one can assume that there were adults there and that's an oversight, or one can take the report as it is and infer that they weren't there. One would presume that a reporter would have mentioned relevant details like how many adults were there, expecially since they dilligently reported how many kids were there.

The report also did not mention lifeguards or safety equipment, and perhaps there were some there, but they weren't used in the rescue, because again, a reporter would surely mention that while also mentioning the priest's clothing.

As the report stands, we can discuss what it does contain, though, and even if he was a hero at the end, he was also reckless at the start, whether there were other adults there or not, because, according to the report, no one else took the kids there and no one else saved the kids, it was him alone.


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[frustrated_lefty]

55. Maybe I'm misreading,

but aren't you assuming the purpose of the field trip was a day at the beach?

Here's what I got googling Termoli:

"In Longobard time the little promontory of Termoli began to play a leading role for the whole area, to the extent that, by the year one thousand, it was a bishop's see. During that period the town grew until it was raised to the status of a County, developing an intense religious life; in the "Comitatu Thermolensis" there were more than tuenty churches and monasteries. The Cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was built towards the end of the twelfth century, right in the heart of the old town; it stands on the site of a previous church, the structures of which have been found, and is one of the most important buildings in Molise. In particular, its facade and its mosaic floors are especially fine artistic documents."

Based on that, I can think of lots of reasons a priest might lead a field trip to the region. How the kids got in the water isn't clear in the article.

On edit: I just wanted to add, even if he screwed up somehow, how many people do you know who would sacrifice their life to save others to fix their screwup. Perhaps his judgment was questionable. His devotion to his students, imo, is at the very least deserving of respect.

[Kellanved]

36. It may seem that way, but it isn't unusual

The village's children and the Priest on tour is very common, almost traditional, in European catholic areas. There are laws to be observed; the priest hardly was the only adult around.
He realized what was happenig in time; have ever looked after children? It is hard to see what's happening, even with numbers far smaller.

[Cronus Protagonist]

47. Agreed.

It was grossly negligent of him to do that.


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[SideshowScott]

19. God bless Father Gorzegno

What the man did was beyond any Religon or concept of a higher power..The man was a hero. He put his life in direct danger to save a child..He will be in my payers

[iam]

26. god bless him?

If what the man did was beyond a higher power how can god bless him? Or maybe god should've blessed him before the trip to the coast.

[JohnKleeb]

20. What a tale thank you IG even if I wasnt Catholic this story is so sad

But I think God will have a special place for this man. May he be remmebered as a great man. May Father Gorzegno rest in peace.
:( I am glad the kids made it out ok but often times the rescuier sometimes dies too.

[Norbert]

22. God bless him

Despite what you hear, there are good ones out there.

To some of the detractors out there, would they save one of us, like the good priest did, if we were in the same peril as those kids.

[Nlighten1]

23. A true hero.

Rest in peace dear sir.

[iam]

24. A true liberal, hero

The priest was a liberal in the purest sense. A man who sacrificed everything for his fellow man.

[Az]

27. Right or wrong it is compassion that drives people like this

This is an example of why we in the religion debating side of the issue must respect those we disagree with. It is love and compassion that drive our positions. They may be filtered through eyes of belief but it is the common love for humanity that binds us together. This man was a hero and gave his all to save those in need.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

58. Thanks AZ ( for always setting the example)

:thumbsup:

[davidinalameda]

31. it's a good man who sacrifices himself for others

may his god bless him and reward him in the afterlife

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. IG ...thank you ...and your correct re: not all priests

[knowledgeispower]

39. Were the kids gay?

Because if they were, the Father is going to hell for saving them! The President himself told me that gays are sinners.

[Cronus Protagonist]

54. I'm sure some of them are

Statistics indicate this would be true. However, I think the main purpose of his life would have been to save sinners, so I think he would get some little stars for his work.


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[meow2u3]

41. A special place in heaven awaits Father Gorzegno

As far as I'm concerned, this man is a saint!

O8) O8) O8) O8) O8) O8) O8)

[tom_paine]

49. Nice to know that such nobility still exists

Beautiful. Selfless. Hearing things like that give me hope.

And hope is in short supply here in the Empire.

[Liberator_Rev]

52. This was a heroic person.

He didn't do it as a male, or an Italian, or a heterosexual or a Catholic. He probably would have done the same if he happened to be a Chinese Lesbian and an atheist. More power to anyone willing to risk their lives to help those weaker than themselves.

I've just watched the "Massacre (of five Communist labor activists) at Greensboro, N.C." in 1979 on the History Channel, at the hands of "Christians" who belonged to the KKK and/or NAZI organizations.

If there IS a God, then may the heroism of these five "Liberals Like Christ" be fittingly rewarded.

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

53. It's not very open-minded for folks to make rotten comments about a man...

selfless enough to sacrifice his own life to save those children. That is a "fact" in the story. The nasty labels being applied to this man arise from assumptions and I'm terribly surprised folks are so quick to judge in a situation where so little is known. There could be many explanations for how those children stumbled into trouble and I salute him for lengths he went to in saving those families the agony of losing a child.

[DemOverseas]

56. Mountain Town

Ahah! These kids were from a Mountain town. They don't get to the beach very often and probably did not have much in the way of swimming skills. I live in a costal Sicilian villiage and the beach can be dangerous. There are drop offs and currents come up undetected. In MY town we have life guards at town beaches. I do not believe they are as well trained as US life guards. It is a three week course. The local kids have grown up in these waters but those kids who come from the mountains have no clue about the hazards of the water. Whenever I have seen children's groups come to the beach there were always a number of adults with them. This does not mean they are swimmers. I can't imagine this priest with all his garb on at the beach. I'll have to pay attention to the local news. I know the funeral was yesterday.

[Redleg]

60. Looks like some posters turned this into another Catholic bashing thread.

Jesus Christ people, have some compassion.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

62. yup.lota of CB.....just let me know when they begin to send the lions in

[nini]

64. I'm really getting SICK of this..

it's not that people disagree with Catholics-they have a right.. it's the CONSTANT bashing and using ANY issue to turn it into a chance to get their jabs in.

Give us a break and agree to disagree.. especially on a simple story of a priest saving some kids.

hiiissssssssssss

.