Father Marcel Guarnizo Suspended After Denying Lesbian Woman Communion
A Catholic priest has been placed on leave for "intimidating behavior" after he was accused of denying a woman communion because she was lesbian.
Father Marcel Guarnizo came under controversy after Barbara Johnson and other members in her family submitted complaints concerning the priest's conduct following the death of Johnson's mother. Johnson charged that the priest committed more than one offensive act, beginning when she attempted to take communion.
"He covered the bowl with the Eucharist with his hand and looked at me, and said I cannot give you communion because you live with a woman and that is a sin in the eyes of the church," Johnson told ABC News affiliate WLJA in Washington.
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After Johnson's initial upset, the family became even more offended when the priest failed to show at the gravesite. "When the funeral home director appears, he says, 'Father Marcel has taken ill. He says he has a migraine and is unable to accompany your mother's remains to the cemetery.' This was, for me and my family, his most egregious act."
The Diocese of Washington later submitted a letter of apology. "When questions arise about whether or not an individual should present themselves for communion, it is not the policy of the Archdiocese of Washington to publicly reprimand the person," the statement said. "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."
Johnson's brother Larry has suggested that the case has nothing to do with gay rights, however some gay rights groups disagree. "The reality is in some ways it is very emblematic of the hierarchy's approach to gay people, transgender people," Marianne Duddy-Burke of DignityUSA said. "There are little messages of rejection that happen all the time."
Following the incident, the priest was put on administrative leave. In a statement the archdiocese explained that the suspension had been enforced following a "credible allegation that Father Guarnizo had engaged in intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others."
Some users on the Huffington Post blog, were surprised at Guarnizo's suspension. "The woman in question is a lesbian. Since Catholic theology clearly states that in their eyes homosexuality is "sinful", why would this woman want to receive a sacrament from a tradition in which she is clearly in violation of?" NativeSon asked.
"To compound matters, the woman is not even Catholic, but a practicing Buddhist. As a fellow Buddhist, I find her actions to be disrespectful, provocative and disingenuous. She should not have even attempted to receive communion, regardless of whether her mother had died or not. In this context, as much as I don't believe in Catholicism, the priest was following church doctrine and was doing his job."
