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Original poster

Priest slaps baby in Christening

55 replies

NotTakenUsername · 21/06/2018 22:31

I seen this video today. Has been shared quite a lot by people on social media. Not sure I should share the link, it is very upsetting. But wondering if anyone else seen it?

It made me so, so angry/unsettled/sad? I’m really struggling to let it go.

The way the parents didn’t snatch the baby right back right away - the arrogance of this excuse of a man... fair play to the dad in the end. Surely it isn’t right for a man like that to hold power to the level he appears to?

They obviously respect their institution/religion - but I can’t imagine the scenario where I wouldn’t have grabbed my child right back and slapped him in return.

OP posts:
Yutes · 23/06/2018 00:06

Even prior to the slap though, there’s something about the way the priest is holding the child’s head.

I think everyone was so gobsmacked about the slap that they initially weren’t sure what to do.

BillywigSting · 23/06/2018 00:16

Just watched and the way he won't let go and has hold of the poor boy by the head after the dad tries to take him back.

The force the dad has to use to get him back.

I'm genuinely shaken Envy

OnlyonMN · 23/06/2018 00:16

Babies crying and christenings normally go hand in hand and church all help in cooing to the baby tickling their cheeks etc, this one just slaps them.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/06/2018 01:32

In the Old pre 1962 rite of confirmation, the bishop would slap the candidates on the cheek. I can't remember what it symbolised, but was chatting to a bishop friend the other day about it. I wonder if that's what the priest is doing.
Still not acceptable though.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/06/2018 01:34

Agree about the way the priest is holding him though.

Homebird8 · 23/06/2018 02:07

The family couldn’t safely remove the child. The priest was holding him by his head and neck. The father had to do it quite forcefully in the end and then the priest wouldn’t relinquish hold of the baby’s head!

Original poster
NotTakenUsername · 23/06/2018 04:56

I saw it earlier and I have to say I immediately thought dementia or something.

When I saw it, I immediately thought “cunt”.

What will happen to him for such bad behaviour? Will he lose his role as priest? Will he be investigated?

I actually agree with the protecting the baby’s head and neck suggestion. While it may justify why parents didn’t step in my forcefully right away, it makes me feel sick that they had to negotiate all that, and consider that he wouldn’t let go willingly.

OP posts:
putputput · 23/06/2018 07:21

Further googling shows that he's been "forced in to early retirement". Why on earth he's not been arrested I don't know!
Couldn't find a non daily fail link but copied this bit-

Denying that the assault was too severe, Father Jacques told France Info radio today: "It was somewhere between a caress and a slap, I hoped to calm him down, I didn’t know what to do."

LoveProsecco · 23/06/2018 07:47

Absolutely disgusting!

OutwiththeOutCrowd · 23/06/2018 08:02

It's a relief to hear that the priest is going into retirement.

While he doesn't sound that repentant, at least he didn't insist the baby should have turned the other cheek.

Durianfruit · 23/06/2018 08:12

It’s not, toddler. I was confirmed in that older rite of confirmation, and the ‘tap’ from the bishop was literally that, a barely-perceptible tap with two fingertips that wasn’t distinguishable from the blessing — not the hard slap that appalling priest gave. And, obviously, on a twelve year old, not a small baby.

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 23/06/2018 08:16

You could tell the Mum was trying to wrestle the baby away then the Dad had to step in. It took a while for the Dad to do something but he was probably in shock.

littlebillie · 23/06/2018 08:30

My DF was a religious man most of his life but in the last decade he turned away from it as all the stories of abuse came out. He was a quiet, gentle man but used to talk of being beaten arriving late or for being poor at the church school. I think that video speaks of an older time where casual violence against children was acceptable.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/06/2018 08:43

@Durianfruit yes you are right. I asked my friend if that's what they did. The priest is apparently 89 and has been suspended. He's now only allowed to say mass with permission of the parish priest. He also apologised to the family.
Very sad end to probably a very long priesthood.

Original poster
NotTakenUsername · 23/06/2018 09:03

Very sad end to probably a very long priesthood.

Did I read that right? Sad?

Do you think this is the first time in his life he was face with a situation he didn’t know what to do and resorted to violence?

I assume it’s not even the first time he’s done it and been seen - simply this first time it’s heen caught on camera where his minimising (‘somewhere between a caress and a slap!’ In what world, father?!) wouldn’t wash.

OP posts:
davidbeckham7 · 23/06/2018 09:05

Very creepy and disturbing

OnlyonMN · 23/06/2018 09:53

It’s been reported the priest has been suspended. That’s a good start.

SequinsOnEverything · 23/06/2018 09:56

You can see the shock on the dad's face and it does look like the mum is trying to pull him away before the dad steps in, the priest just really wants to keep hold of his head!

For people saying about organised religion and people's respect for the priest stopping them doing anything, it is clear everyone in the video is shocked and not accepting it at all. I it just takes them a few seconds to get over the shock and act.

Original poster
NotTakenUsername · 23/06/2018 10:44

I’m not disagreeing that it is shock and making sure the child is not hurt further that stunts the response time, but I do think that him being a priest is a factor as well.

OP posts:
OnlyonMN · 23/06/2018 11:05

I’m surprised he hasn’t been charged with assault? The parents have apparently accepted an apology but surely if you assault someone in public like that the police should step in. He reportedly said it wasnt a slap, but a cross between caress and a slap Shock.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/06/2018 19:34

Not all priests are child abusing monsters. That's why I think it's sad. He's 89 and I wonder what has happened to him to make him behave like that.

Ifeelreallylow · 23/06/2018 19:37

I saw this a couple days ago, watched it twice and I ant shake it off.
There is something so evil about it. I can't let it go. I won't watch it again. But honestly, I am thinking about it so much and it's deeply upsetting.

I'm hoping that child isn't old enough to remember it happening.

WiseOldElfIsNick · 23/06/2018 20:03

Not all priests are child abusing monsters

No, but a good portion of them are. Estimates suggest that up to 5% of the Catholic clergy over the last 50 years have been involved in child sex abuse, so the numbers involved in other types of abuse is almost certainly higher.

The actions of this vile excuse for a human being are not the actions of a reasonable person. Even his excuse is bullshit:
"It was somewhere between a caress and a slap, I hoped to calm him down, I didn’t know what to do."

Who the fu*ck holds a baby (whether their own or someone else's) who is crying and tries to shut them up by hitting them? What a pathetic comment.

IfYouDontImagineNothingHappens · 23/06/2018 20:10

That dad grabbing his screaming baby. Something quite primal there, whereas Mum looks a bit more scared.

43percentburnt · 23/06/2018 20:21

I don’t think this will come out eloquently but I think it demonstrates how people, for whatever reason, don’t challenge abusers. Did the mum question what she had just witnessed? Not have faith in whether grabbing her child back was the right thing to do? Was she worried about offending the vicar? I think this clip could be very important in explaining why abuse isn’t reported. The congregation made a noise but no-one ran over to intervene.

Very sad clip. I hope all are ok. I think the parents may be very traumatised rewatching it. And I hope the vicar is arrested and charged.

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