From http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/exclusive-inside-sources-provide-new-info-on-priest-censured-for-denying-le
GAITHERSBURG, MD, March 1, 2012 (
LifeSiteNews.com)
In the wake of international press coverage of a priest’s decision to
deny a lesbian communion, and the woman’s subsequent demands that he be
removed from the parish, a source close to the incident contacted
LifeSiteNews with new information that he says will set the record
straight. Among other things, the new information indicates that the
woman did actually receive Communion at the Mass – but from an
Extraordinary minister rather than the priest.
Fr. Marcel Guarnizo of St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland,
was reprimanded
by the Archdiocese of Washington this week after denying communion to
Johnson at her mother’s funeral. Johnson had informed the priest before
the Mass that she was a lesbian, and was denied communion when she
presented herself in line.
In a statement issued last week, the Archdiocese said that Guarnizo’s
actions were against diocesan policy, and that “any issues regarding
the suitability of an individual to receive communion should be
addressed by the priest with that person in a private, pastoral
setting.”
LifeSiteNews spoke today with Diego von Stauffenberg, a source who is
close to the incident and who revealed detailed information about the
nature of Fr. Guarnizo’s actions at the funeral. According to
Stauffenberg the priest was confronted by Johnson for the first time
moments before Mass began.
She was reportedly agitated by the fact that the funeral was being
presided over by Fr. Guarnizo, who is well known for his outspoken
defense of Church teachings. The priest has been on the front lines of
local pro-life activism, leading prayer vigils at Dr. LeRoy Carhart’s
late term abortion facility in Germantown.
Johnson initially came into the sacristy to discuss the details of
the two eulogies that were supposed to be delivered, but left abruptly
and returned with her brother and another woman, whom she introduced as
her “lover.”
Following this introduction, Johnson made a second abrupt exit, this
time with her lover reportedly blocking the door in an apparent attempt
to prevent any further conversation between Fr. Guarnizo and Johnson.
The priest proceeded with the Mass, but decided to remind the
congregation before Communion of what is required to be properly
disposed to receive. Stauffenberg reports that when Johnson approached
for Communion anyway, Fr. Guarnizo turned her away in a manner so
discreet that the Extraordinary Minister standing a few feet away did
not know what had occurred. Johnson then crossed over to the
Extraordinary minister’s line and was given communion.
Moreover, says Stauffenberg, media reports that Fr. Guarnizo refused
to be present during Johnson’s eulogy are inaccurate. Johnson
had told Channel 9 News that “Fr. Marcel left the altar, and did not return until I finished my eulogy.”
She
also told
the National Catholic Reporter that Fr. Guarnizo not only did not
attend the burial, but also did not make an effort to find another
priest to do so, and that it was the funeral director who took the
initiative in contacting another priest.
The truth, according to Stauffenberg, is that Fr. Guarnizo suffers
from migraines which are triggered by stressful situations. He had a
migraine during the funeral, and discreetly left after the first eulogy
ended, looking for water to revive himself. When he returned to the
sanctuary, Johnson was about five minutes into a eulogy that lasted
around fifteen to twenty minutes.
After the Mass was over, he accompanied the body in procession down
the aisle and out the door to the hearse, where he informed the funeral
director that he would be unable to make the 11 mile drive from the
Church to the cemetery on Aspen Hill. He personally arranged for the
funeral director to contact another local priest, Fr. Paul Sweeney, who
joined the family at the cemetery.
“Mrs. Johnson was given a Catholic funeral with all of the formality
and all of the respect that the Catholic Church has to offer,” said
Stauffenberg.
Most of the substantial details offered by Stauffenberg have been
corroborated by another source who also contacted LifeSiteNews, but who
wishes to remain anonymous. In addition, an email circulating in the
Diocese which claims to have originated from a group of people who met
with Father shortly after the incident says the following:
“Fr knew the lady was a practicing lesbian because she came into the
sacristy and introduced her ‘lover’ to Fr just before the Mass. He
quietly denied her communion (so quietly that the Euch minister next to
him didn’t realize that he did), and the woman promptly went to the
other line and received communion anyway! He left to use the restroom
(he was getting a migraine) between the eulogies, but did finish the
ceremony and escorted the casket out. He made arrangements for there to
be another priest at the gravesite and there was. He felt that it was a
matter of conscience to deny her communion since he had been informed
that she was an active homosexual by her own admission.”
Another statement from the Archdiocese about the incident was published yesterday in the
Washington Post.
The statement noted that “no one is entitled to the Eucharist,” and
that “any person who obstinately perseveres in manifest grave sin is not
to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
The statement also said that situations which called for denial of
communion “ideally” would be handled by “discussing the consequences of
such sin with the person privately before actually denying them
Communion.”
Contact:
To email the Archdiocese: chancery@adw.org.
Communication should be directed to Bishop Barry Knestout.
