ORLANDO, FLA. (WSVN) - Catholic Mass is celebrated every Sunday at St.Thomas Aquinas Church in Central Florida. Like churches all over the world this past Sunday, parishioners received communion, but this Mass took a chaotic turn when a priest reportedly bit a woman in attendance.
The unidentified woman told St. Cloud Police that the scuffle started after she tried to receive communion, was denied communion, and then bitten by the priest.
“He wouldn’t give me the cookie. I don’t know if it was the way I was dressed, or if it is what I like,” the woman is heard telling police on via body camera.
Online feed from the church’s stream shows some of the confrontation and a witness told police that the woman was singled out because of her sexuality and attire.
“So, he tried to forcefully shove it in her mouth she backed up she said, ‘No, don’t do that.’ She tried to get it and that is when he went crazy,” said the witness.
The priest was later identified by the victim via body camera as Father Fidel, but the priest told police a different story.
He said, the woman came to the 10 a.m. Mass, but didn’t seem to know the process of receiving so, he denied her the bread. He stated that she came back to another service and tried again, but this time, the confrontation happened when she tried to grab the bread out of his hand.
“I am not judging you, I am asking you, did you confess after Mass. If you did not confess I can not give you communion. I bit her, I am not denying that. I am defending myself and the sacrament,” said Father Fidel.
The priest maintained his stance that he was only protecting the bread because it is considered the body of Christ and that he didn’t know the woman’s sexual orientation and he doesn’t care.
“I don’t judge nobody,” said the priest.
Police have recommended the priest be charged with battery. The church deferred comment to the Catholic Diocese of Orlando, who has not responded.
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