Priest Gets Violent When Challenged by Reporter

Rev. Sebastian Meyer of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Fairfield, California, allegedly kicked a parishioner out of Mass because her car had signs supporting Barack Obama for president. Such actions would be consistent with the increasingly extremist rhetoric from the Catholic hierarchy, at least one of whom has even gone so far as to say that Catholics who voted for Obama should be denied communion.

Meyer, however, doesn't seem to be willing to publicly stand behind his actions because when a reporter tried to talk to him, he was attacked by the priest and had to leave. Meyer even threatened to sue if a story about his actions was published.

After identifying himself as a reporter, Chalk explained that he was working on a story about a parishioner who claimed the priest expelled her from Mass because her vehicle sported painted signs in support of president-elect Barack Obama.

"He became very agitated," Chalk said. "He told me, 'No, we're not writing that. I did not touch her. I did not talk to her.'" Chalk said Meyer then threatened to file a lawsuit if any story were written and told him it was "illegal because it's none of your business."

"At that point, I took my notepad out and asked what was illegal," Chalk said.

Meyer became more agitated and lunged at him, Chalk said, clawing at his arm and reaching for his notepad. Stunned, the reporter turned to run out the door as Meyer continued to grab at him. "He yelled, 'Where are you going?'" said Chalk, who admitted he cursed and told the priest and another man in the parish office to stay back and threatened to call police on them if they didn't.

"It was absolutely shocking," Chalk said. "It's the last thing I would expect from a priest. I mean, I'm sure this was not the first time he's dealt with inquiries from the media, especially with his years in that position. He should know ways to step around it or simply say 'I don't wish to comment.' That would have been fine."

Chalk reported the incident to police and the Sacramento Diocese, which oversees all Catholic churches in the region.

Source: Inside Bay Area (via: Americans United)

I wonder why Chalk is so surprised that a priest would behave in such a manner? Granted, it's not common for priests to do this, but then again it's also not common for most anyone to behave in such a manner. Priests are human too and they, like the rest of us, have been subjected to years of increasingly hostile and even violent rhetoric against liberals.

Priests probably also have to hear a lot more than the average person — or even the average Catholic — from the Catholic hierarchy about how awful it is when Americans vote for politicians (usually liberal Democrats) who don't want to make abortion a criminal offense. This can really wear on people and, in some cases, may make violent behavior a bit more likely. Should we really assume that it couldn't happen even with priests, ministers, pastors, and other clergy? I don't see why.

Rob Boston writes:

What could spark such an over-the-top reaction? I think some of these clergy who went way over the line during the recent election or afterwards are now realizing they were out of bounds. Now they’re hoping their actions will be forgotten. That is not happening, and they’re mad.

Some are backpedaling furiously. The Rev. Jay Scott Newman, the South Carolina priest who wants to deny communion to Obama voters, now says his statement was “misunderstood.” Oh, really?

That’s funny because Newman told parishioners in the church bulletin that anyone “voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exists constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil.” He went on to say that if you voted for Obama, you need to go to confession before taking communion “lest they eat and drink their own condemnation.” What did we misunderstand about that?

In Paterson, N.J., Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli wrote a column in October attacking Obama (whom he referred to as as “the present democratic candidate for President”) over the issue of abortion and comparing him to Herod Antipas, the biblical ruler who ordered John the Baptist beheaded. After AU reported him to the IRS, Serratelli protested loudly. How did we ever get the idea that he was advising people not to vote for Obama?

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was that Herod business? Unless we’re supposed to think that comparing someone to a depraved and corrupt king from the ancient world is a good thing.

These guys have been challenged on what they did, and they have to deal with the consequences of that. In some cases, they may simply be alienating members of their congregations or losing members. Others may have violated federal tax law.

What’s done is done. Rather than try to cover up their politicking, worm out of it or assault reporters who want to write about it, these out-of-bounds clerics would do better to make a sincere apology and promise they won’t do it again.

I suppose it could be true that many are embarrassed at what they said and want to cover it up, but there are other alternatives. One is that as True Believers, they aren't sorry at all because they are still convinced they are right — but they are also very, very angry that so few voters agreed with them and instead elected the Muslim, terrorist, baby-killing liberal. Such anger can easily shift into violence towards those seen as traitors to the nation, those aiding and abetting the slaughter of innocent babies, those undermining the "Christian character" of America, and so forth.

I can't claim that any or all of this is true of Meyer, but it's a possibility that should be kept in mind because I doubt that incidents like this will be the extent of post-election violence. Christian extremists have invested far too much time, money, and effort into accusing liberals of being evil, un-American, and dangerous to simply oppose a Democratic presidency, Democratic Congress, and eventually a more liberal judiciary with nothing but harsh language and a nasty demeanor.