Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge
Posted on 12/28/2006 1:08:42 PM PST by NYer
RHINEBECK -- A 70-year-old Catholic priest who struggled with depression for years committed suicide by jumping off the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge about 1 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.
The Rev. John Kiwus, a Kingston native, was dead when he was recovered from the Hudson River by a crew from the Ulster Hose fire company, said Bill McDermott, chief of the East Kingston Fire Department. Rhinebeck is approximately 92 miles south of Saratoga Springs.
Kiwus, a Redemptorist priest, was stationed at the St. John Neumann Residence on Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs, said the Rev. Patrick Woods, provincial of the Redemptorist order in Brooklyn. Woods said Kiwus suffered for many years from clinical depression and had undertaken many efforts to treat the condition. Kiwus left no suicide note, Woods said. A priest for 42 years, Kiwus trained as a missionary at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary (now the Retreat Center) in the Ulster County town of Esopus, Woods said. Kiwus spent much of his priesthood in Campo Grande, Brazil, and left missionary work several years ago to return to the United States.
State police at the Rhinebeck barracks said Kiwus left his car on the bridge -- which, at its peak rises, to about 250 feet above the river -- and that the vehicle was towed away after the priest jumped. Authorities said Kiwus jumped from the Dutchess County side of the bridge. His body was taken by Alamo Ambulance to Benedictine Hospital in Kingston. After the initial call, teams from Ulster Hose and the Ulster County Sheriff's Office prepared to dive into the chilly waters of the Hudson, according to Ed Molinaro, the Ulster Hose chief. But 'no one needed to dive,' Molinaro said. 'The body was floating on the water.'
Funeral arrangements for Kiwus are being made by the Joseph V. Leahy Funeral Home in Kingston.
FWIW - Saratoga Springs is part of the RC Diocese of Albany. This is the 2nd 'suicide' within 3 years.
In late Middle Ages they usually added, "prompted by the devil", like Luca Landucci wrote about a physician who committed suicide around 1490 by jumping into a well.
In this diocese, that still applies ;-)
Are there particular problems in the Diocese?
Any particular reason to doubt suicide?
That's an understatement.
I'm sorry to hear that.
The first one - yes; this one - no. Just odd to have two suicides within such a short span of time, especially in a diocese with a priest shortage.
His choice. Case closed.
That's a heck of a drive from Saratoga.
How are things in the Albany diocese? I know the Catholic school I attended was part of them but know very little of the goings on/Catholicty of it...
>>That's an understatement.<<
Can you give us a few links?
I know I heard about Albany at one time but can't remember.
There are a fair amount of Diocese with troubles.
Let's put Pope Benedict over the top!
http://www.islamonline.net/polls/english/24-12-06/Survey.asp
Pass it on.
I will.
I'm just throwing it out on the Catholic threads. I think it will get more responses there than if I do another ping to the Daily Readings.
(Although I put it there also.)
How is Papa going???
Make that the Sean Hannity thread. It is on the mark levin thread now though.
| Hugo Chavez |
|
1.19% |
|
| Hassan Nasrallah |
|
25.86% |
|
| Mahmoud Ahmadinejad |
|
8% |
|
| Ayatollah Sistani |
|
0.75% |
|
| Donald Rumsfeld |
|
3.31% |
|
| Abdullah Ahmed Badawi |
|
1.25% |
|
| Pope Benedict XVI |
|
24.61% |
|
| Fuad el Siniora |
|
0.87% |
|
| Muhammad Yunus |
|
4.43% |
|
| Ismael Haniya |
|
28.23% |
|
| Saddam Hussein |
|
1.19% |
|
| Kim Jong Il |
|
0.31% |
Darn, I maxed out my allowed number of votes. Oh well, B16 is inching up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.