The Smoking Gun

The smoking Gun Website ^

[Khepera]

Memo to Catholic priests everywhere: If you plan on attending a future Mardi Gras, try not to be photographed shirtless next to a drag queen and some chiseled guys in biker shorts. Because that photo op just cost Rev. Thomas Bouterie his pastor's post at a church outside of New Orleans. The 47-year-old Bouterie--unknowingly snapped at last year's New Orleans bacchanal--appears in "Masking and Madness: Mardi Gras in New Orleans," photographer Kerri McCaffety's vibrant study of the annual Crescent City celebration. Following a meeting with diocesan brass, Bouterie announced Saturday (5/4) his decision to step down after 13 years as pastor of St. Louis Church in Bayou Blue, about 40 miles southwest of New Orleans. While no allegations of abuse have been made against Bouterie, a church spokesman said "these photographs could be a source of scandal for some and, thus, prevent Father Bouterie from effectively exercising his ministry." Bouterie said that his resignation was not "reflective of the current problems" in the Church, but more indicative of his "personal growth as a priest." (2 pages)

[Khepera]

Good Advice

[Khepera]

[Khepera]

Picture 1

Picture 2

[HiTech RedNeck]

I don't get it. In both of the pictures the priest looks like he is minding his own business. If he were gawking at the chicks (or the guys), that would be another story.

[Kush]

If you plan on attending a future Mardi Gras, try not to be photographed shirtless next to a drag queen and some chiseled guys in biker shorts.

It would probably also help if you didn't have your hand on the chiseled guy's ASS!!!!!

[Khepera]

Yes but it's the appearence and public perception that matter I think. It is highly possible he just wasn't thinking.

[Khepera]

Definitely he is in a tight spot. I didn't even notice the little tushie pat

[Khepera]

Guess he wasn't only minding his own business. Sorry!

[Senator Pardek]

... "personal growth as a priest."

As proven to keen-eyed observers in photo #1.

[woofie]

All his growth is personal....

[Khepera]

To grow as a priest it is absolutely imperative that you gain intimate knowledge of the enemy. To "Know" your enemy is to defeat him.

[buffyt]

OUCH! When it rains it pours when it comes to scandal! The one I read about today was scary. A priest who molested little boys and grown women. He wasn't even picky about whose life he ruined!

"The accused priest is Father Pat Colleary, who O'Brien has bounced from parish to parish in the Phoenix Diocese over the last two decades, apparently without ever notifying parishioners about the sexual misconduct allegations that fester in his wake. What O'Brien has done, instead, was attack the victims."

He molested boys and impregnanted at least one woman... I think if I were Catholic I might find a new denomination for a while.... sad....

[HiTech RedNeck]

Duh. I should look at the red arrow. I thought it was the out of shape middle aged guys.

Le'ssee... no shirt, rainbow beads, tight pants, big ol' clunky motorcycle boots, and a hand on the other guy's tush. Yup, does look like he's making out rather, ahem, gaily.

[buffyt]

Minding his own business? Looks pretty kinky to me. Is that how priests dress?

[HiTech RedNeck]

SORRY... see #13

[Khepera]

Honest mistake. I wonder who he made mad enough to publish these pictures.

[altair]

O'Brien has bounced from parish to parish in the Phoenix Diocese over the last two decades, apparently without ever notifying parishioners about the sexual misconduct allegations that fester in his wake. What O'Brien has done, instead, was attack the victims.

Are you sure that it was a priest? That sounds suspiciously like a certain ex-President of the United States.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I wonder why he was dumb enough to appear in public this way. I would think anyone who has a grudge concerning Catholics would be, er, "tempted" to publish photos like this. "Oh! Reverend Tom! Imagine meeting you here!"

[Khepera]

You know he could have been trying to bring new Catholics into the fold. That's it he is whitnessing to those sinners and patting their tush to make them feel comforted. Man why didn't I see this before? I just know popo patting is in part a technique to entice others to the Lord. He's a fisher of men! Dang I see it now!

[buffyt]

Still looks kinda wild for a priest to me, no shirt, lots of beads. We spent Spring Break in the BIG EASY, New Orleans. The guys who were dressed like that were typically shall we say SOUSED? They weren't dressed like that in the day time - mostly at night. We were there for an AICHE convention, I really don't plan to go back to New Orleans, although there are a lot of things to do in La.

Call me old fashioned.... I guess I am not comfortable seeing a man of the cloth dressed, or undressed, like that in public. I expect them to behave more dignified than that! Like we attend Lutheran church and the pastor wears the pastoral collar all the time in public. Just kind of sets him apart as a religious leader.

I also didn't approve of the guys chanting at the girls to flash their boobs for beads. I didn't approve of the girls' doing that either. But you could head down a different street and avoid a lot of that action.

The kids were drunk in the streets and almost having sex on the sidewalks. Saw two very young couples almost engaged in sex right there in public. There were cops on horses all over the place. They just looked the other way. Seemed the only thing that was forbidden was having glass containers on the streets. The horses were leaving big piles of manure all over the sidewalks and streets, though. It was such a filthy town by night. Great restaurants though, and we were not bothered by any crimes. GREAT RESTAURANTS INDEED! I think I doubled my weight in a week... hahaha Harrah's was right across the street from our hotel - but I am NOT a gambler! I always lose!