The Roman Catholic Church filed a restraining order against a San Mateo deacon with the habit of buying and hiding guns.
The restraining order was filed Friday against 57-year-old Dennis Gooch, a deacon attempting to become a priest at St. Gregory's Church at 2701 Hacienda St. in San Mateo.
A social worker with the San Francisco Archdiocese filed the paperwork after learning that Gooch was angry about not being recommended for indoctrination into the priesthood and that he owned guns.
Pastor Robert McElroy found six guns and nine boxes of ammunition in Gooch's dormitory at St. Gregory's rectory. McElroy searched Gooch's room while he was at Sequoia Hospital recovering from a near-death experience.
Gooch, according to an affidavit filed by McElroy, was admitted to Sequoia Hospital on May 14 after failing to take medication for his emphysema. While there, it was determined that Gooch had suicidal thoughts. He was later transferred to Seton Medical Center in Daly City and to St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.
Gooch was part of the St. Gregory's parish since June 2004 and became angry about six weeks ago when he learned that McElroy was not recommending him for priesthood.
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Dirk van Ulden said:
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