'Mystery priest' at scene of car wreck comes forward


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CENTER, Missouri — The "mystery priest" who helped at the scene of a serious accident last week in eastern Missouri has been identified as the Rev. Patrick Dowling.

Religion News Service reports the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo., identified the clergyman after he left a comment on an online story about the incident in the National Catholic Register.

According to Father Dowling, he was returning from Mass when he came upon the accident scene last Sunday.

A car driven by Katie Lentz, 19, collided with another vehicle, flipping Lentz's car and trapping her in the crushed metal. Rescue crews had worked for about 45 minutes trying to free her when Lentz asked someone to pray with her. Father Dowling, who at the time was unidentified and some say appeared from nowhere, said he would.

"I absolved and anointed Katie and, at her request, prayed that her leg would not be hurt," the priest wrote in the National Catholic Register.

Lentz's condition stabilized, she was extricated from her car when needed equipment showed up, and flown to a hospital.

Rescuers then wanted to thank the priest but he was gone.

"I left when the helicopter was about to take off," Dowling wrote.

He said when he arrived the highway was blocked but he did not leave with the other cars. He said he parked, walked 150 yards to the accident and asked a deputy if a priest might be needed.


I was probably part of the answer to their prayers.

–Rev. Patrick Dowling


In a later interview, Father Dowling told the National Catholic Register many people at the accident scene were praying for Lentz's healing and safety.

"I was probably part of the answer to their prayers: I came by, and anointed, and absolved," he said.

He pointed out that he did not say anything in his prayer about machinery being able to help or about rescuers being able to free Lentz.

The NCR said Father Dowling is a native of Ireland and was ordained a priest for the Jefferson City Diocese in 1982. He currently serves in prison ministry, and also ministers to the Spanish-speaking population of the Diocese of Jefferson City.

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Linda Williams

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