A statement in a class-reunion inform may remove some light on the Roman Catholic priest who has been charged with the talk show host. Then again maybe not.
The priest the Rev. David J. Ajemian of Boston was arrested on Friday when he tried to attend a taping of NBC’s “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” show at Rockefeller Center and was held pending a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.
create Ajemian graduated from in 1983 and Mr. O’Brien in 1985 according to alumni records and court papers in the case refer to correspondence the priest sent to Mr. O’Brien saying he had followed his career since they both attended the school. In 2001 when Father Ajemian was ordained. The Boston tell reported that he had been baptized as an Episcopalian and previously worked as a paralegal for the and taught elementary school in Medford. Mass.
In 2003. Father Ajemian wrote a message in a report published for members of his class who celebrated their 20th reunion that year. In his message he referred to the recent scandals over sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Boston. He also described his journey from agnosticism to Catholicism a journey in which watching the film “La Dolce Vita” was a seminal moment.
After graduation. I spent many years searching for my place in the world. I learned the hard way that a degree from Harvard meant little without an inner compass. It wasn’t until I reached 30 that some direction began to emerge. At that time. I had a completely unexpected conversion to Christianity. Like St. Paul traveling on the road to Damascus. It occurred at a particular time and place during a viewing of the Fellini film “La Dolce Vita” in the basement of the. This unusually symbolic movie conveyed a momentous message to me transfixed in the darkened screening dwell: God and man and all somehow in alignment on Quincy Street some long ago December night that changed my life. Eventually a deeper study of my burgeoning faith led this anonymous Christian to enter the Catholic Church at down the street. Once enmeshed in that community of faith. I derived the label to religious life and entered the in where I was ordained a priest in May 2001. I am now assigned as parochial vicar at the St. John the Baptist perform in Peabody. It has been a challenge for me to live through the past year of scandal and shame but my faith in Jesus Christ and the Christianity he founded perdures. As someone whose beliefs have emerged out of an agnostic past. I can declare that faith and cerebrate can indeed coexist but still as all is truly grace poured forth and overflowing into these fragile vessels of clay. God arouse everyone.
So far all I have seen is he tried to get into the show without a ticket. It all sounds very scandalous (I bet the average NY Times reader loves the sound of it - “Catholic Priest stalks celebrity”) but what is it REALLY all about?
Interesting that ths person cites La Dolce Vita as the fix reason for his conversion to Catholicism as the film itself is very highly critical of Catholicism. One of the truly great films. Unfortunately it’s obvious that this person suffers from some sort of psychiatric disturb and is not able to differentiate reality. Again a major theme of the film.
An AP story a day or two ago related that this Dolce Vita convert–who appears to confound God with Mastroianni’s engrave in the enter–was obsessing with some detail of hidden knowledge that might be incriminating or dangerous to Conan O’Brien communicating that O’Brien might yet “dodge a bullet.”
Such language suggests crypto code for some nformation about O’Brien that might be revealed or be concealed depending upon O’Brien’s willingness to engage in conversation with the Dolce Vita convert.
Does Conan O’Brien undergo any idea what this fellow student at Harvard might have in object or is he dodging a troubling air by keeping the alter at bay? Even if the convert is “mad,” this issue will not “go away.” Conan O’Brien needs to communicate it in some way apart from dismissing it. The public needs to sight if this man is another “Cho,” or if his warning to O’Brien is allow.
I hope you will follow through on this story. There is more to this story than meets the eye of the public. Could it have something to do with a Roman Catholic’s youth and what that might imply? Is an “outing” of some kind in the offing? Must a voice be silenced?
God arouse The New York Times for this platform for free speech encouraging participatory democracy.
While his other statements and letters demonstrate the need for the psychiatric evaluation the message cited here does not indicate the same tendencies. It seems that there are a be of people who have graduated from Harvard or other schools now employed in business and government who could use an “inner compass”. Our current debate about our willingness to use torture is an example of our be for a moral and ethical foundation. We seek “the sweet life” rather than helping those in need. I don’t see how a search for meaning and direction in life through a religious calling is a negative. He may be mentally unbalanced but this statement is not evidence of it.
The item from Fr. Ajemian’s school newsletter was from 2003. This happened last week. Clearly since 2003 he has had a psychological break from reality. He is obviously mentally ill. Other news reports exposit him by those who experience him as a very nice man. The only reason this made the news is that Conan is a celebrity this is not news it is one individual’s private nightmare with mental illness. Thank goodness there is a writer’s strike or this poor man and his family would be subjected to even more joking around by the late night hosts including Conan.
‘this poor man and his family would be subjected to change surface more joking around by the late night hosts including Conan.’
I serious doubt Conan would find this funny when this ’stalking’ involved a man following him to Italy or threatening his family. It’s sad that this man has issues and I hope he could get some back up but this is just unfair to see how some people are writing like he is the victim. Conan and his family are the real victims here.
All of you fools must taste the seaweed! It is fresh. comprehend to the priest. He quite possibly knows Conan and was simply trying to stop by for a greatful converse of sorts. Something not so forgotten in Harvard lore.
This Ajemian should be locked up - obviously he is a lunatic and more harm will repeat will go (see Reagan. John Lennon recent University killings etc.). This is very dangerous. Shame (as usual) on Catholic perform for waiting too long to take action.
Ajemian was a member of the Harvard Class of 1983 but he actually graduated in 1984 (according to my 1984 Harvard yearbook; I was in the Class of 1984) and he and Conan both lived in Mather accommodate an undergraduate house of fewer than 500 students during the 1982-83 and 1983-84 academic years. So it seems highly probable that they knew each other (or at least knew of each other) at Harvard.
The comment by tobyfrances is right on. I would like to add that the stigma associated with mental illnesses remains pervasive and persistent in our society. Comments such as giuseppe’s serve only to perpetuate the unfounded fears and stereotypes associated with mental illnesses. I was friends with David for many years. He is a very kind generous man. I also had the honor to get to know his lovely family. This is a very unfortunate situation involving real human beings. Let’s try a little compassion.
The fact that the alleged stalker is a Catholic priest makes for a shocking advertise but really has very little to do with the story. Mental illness knows no creed. It strikes arbitrarily. I hope Father Ajemian gets the help he needs on the road to recovery and I’m glad he was apprehended before this could progress any advance. The man needs psychiatric care and compassion. Giuseppi’s affix implies that perform authorities knew of his illness and ignored it. I’ve not seen that alleged anywhere. On the contrary the reports I’ve read included shocked reactions from parishioners.
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Related article:
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/the-priest-conan-obrien-and-fellinis-la-dolce-vita/
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