Car-Crash 'Angel' Identified

The Rev. Patrick Dowling came to Katie Lentz's aid
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 13, 2013 1:27 AM CDT
Car-Crash 'Angel' Identified
An image from the scene.   (BreakingNews)

A mysterious priest who showed up to pray at the scene of a Missouri car crash may have been heaven-sent, but he only traveled about 150 yards to get to there. It turns out the "angel" priest who prayed with Katie Lentz, 19, then seemingly disappeared last Sunday is the very earthbound Rev. Patrick Dowling of the Jefferson City Diocese. Fox News reports that Father Dowling actually revealed his identity via a comment posted to a story about the incident on the National Catholic Register website Friday, but it escaped notice until yesterday.

"I had Mass in Ewing MO as the regular priest was sick," he wrote, explaining that he came upon the scene on his way back. "I parked behind a large vehicle about 150 yards from the scene. I asked the sheriff’s permission and approached the scene of the accident. I absolved and anointed Katie, and, at her request, prayed that her leg would not hurt. Then I stepped aside." But Father Dowling tells the National Catholic Register that a bit of a mystery does still persist: He says that after the anointing and absolution, "I didn't say another word. I did not say anything like the machinery would begin to work or they would succeed in getting her out of the car. That did not come from my lips, though two people heard it." (More priest stories.)

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