Wonders never cease. While hunting for posts, I ran across the Father Fist-i-cuff story, right in the News and Messenger.
Basically, two priests at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church got into an argument over office matters and the assistant pastor assaulted the pastor, Father Eversole. Father Smith, the assaulting priest, is no longer associated with that parish. This is just not your everyday incident at church. Both men are 45.
Charles C. Smith, the associate pastor, was arrested Nov. 22 after an argument over office-related matters in the rectory, said Arlington Diocese spokeswoman Joelle Santolla. The argument quickly escalated into a physical confrontation, said Santolla.
Eversole, 45, went to the hospital for a cut over his eyes and Smith, 45, was charged with unlawful wounding, according to Prince William County spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.
What ever happened to the good old days when we got to read about stigmata occurring at a nearby Woodbridge Catholic Church? Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church got a great deal of positive coverage for its miracles. Maybe some of our readers are correct. Perhaps America is going to hell in a hand basket when we have priests duking it out. I haven’t gotten past a priest named Father Eversoul, ooops, make that Eversole. Actually the miracles at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, back in the early 90’s, involved weeping statues of the Virgin Mary.
How embarrassing for the parishoners. So what do you say to your priest (or minister) if he was involved in something like that? Do you pretend you just don’t know? I just didn’t know priests fought. On the other hand, it is heart-warming to learn that some of them are human, have feet of clay, and lose their tempers. Most people, if they were honest, would admit to wanting to punch their boss in the nose. Why should priests be any different.
