Catholic Ragemonkey

Fr. Michael Labadie, R.I.P.
I received sad news this past week that a young priest from the Archdiocese of Mobile apparently committed suicide last Tuesday. He was two years behind me at the seminary in Rome and, though we weren't close friends, we were certainly acquaintances and would chat from time to time as seminary life brought us together so many times. He was a good and serious student and had a strong zeal for Christ and Holy Mother Church. He had a strong desire to be a good priest. He did much good work in his brief time as a priest on earth, but he apparently also suffered many personal problems. Ultimately, the problems must have seemed too heavy to bear. It is a tragic loss to so many people and the whole situation simply leaves more questions than any real sense of closure.

I am sure the reality of suicide may generate some interesting comments on this post, and I welcome those. Mental suffering and illness is something about which we understand precious little -- the inner sanctum of the mind remains a grand mystery and events such as this serve to remind us of the mystery. May his grieving family, friends, and those he served find peace and comfort. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine! Et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.