A Florida priest has admitted he bit a woman who grabbed at Holy Communion wafers during a Mass he was conducting last Sunday, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
St. Cloud, Fla., police were called to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church after being contacted by the woman. They spoke with Father Fidel Rodriguez, who admitted he bit the woman, saying she looked “unaware of the requirements” to receive Communion during the 10 a.m. service.
The woman was apparent undaunted by being bitten by a priest, because she returned for the noon service.
The Diocese of Orlando defended the priest’s actions, claiming he was trying to “prevent an act of desecration.”
The Sentinel reported that video footage taken by a bystander shows the priest and the woman exchanging words before he begins to place a Communion wafer in her mouth, but she “aggressively” reaches into the bowl containing the wafers. The two struggled before Rodriguez bit her and were then separated by others.
In a statement, the Diocese claimed the video shows the woman initiated the physical contact and acted inappropriately.
“The priest was trying to protect the Holy Communion from this sacrilegious act,” the statement said.
The Diocese also claimed the woman referred to the wafers as a “cookie” and crushed them when she grabbed them in the bowl.
A police report obtained by the Sentinel indicates the woman believed she was being discriminated against by Rodriguez due to her “sexuality and attire,” a claim Rodriguez refuted, saying she was refused Communion because she appeared unfamiliar with the procedure.
As of Friday, Rodriguez had not been charged, but a report accusing him of misdemeanor battery had been sent to the Orlando-area State Attorney’s Office for review.