Priest who denied communion to lesbian stripped of priestly faculties
This past weekend’s letter from Bishop Knestout putting Fr. Guarnizo on administrative leave was read at all Sunday Masses at St. John Neumann parish in Gaithersburg, where Fr. Guarnizo has been serving since last March, and where the incident occurred.
Bishop Knestout alleges in the letter that he has “received credible allegations that Father Guarnizo has engaged in intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others that is incompatible with proper priestly ministry.”
The letter adds: “Given the grave nature of these allegations, and in light of the confusion in the parish and the concerns expressed by parishioners, Father Guarnizo is prohibited from exercising any priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Washington until all matters can be appropriately resolved with the hope that he might return to priestly ministry.”
According to a report in the Washington Post, the letter was read out loud by the church’s pastor …More