Florida Priest Bites Woman Over Communion Bread Dispute

Incident at St. Cloud Church

• 🚨 Police responded to a report of a priest biting a visitor at a church in St. Cloud, Florida.
• 📹 Body camera footage and a YouTube stream of the service were reviewed by officers to understand the altercation.

Dispute Over Communion

• 🍞 The incident allegedly began when Father Fidel Rodriguez refused to give communion bread to a woman multiple times.
• 🗣️ Witnesses and the priest stated the refusal was because the woman did not follow the proper procedures for receiving communion, such as saying "Amen" or preparing her hands correctly.
• ⛪ The priest explained that proper preparation, including confession, is often required for receiving communion, especially for those who haven't practiced their faith regularly.

Alleged Biting Incident

• 💥 The woman claims she attempted to grab another piece of communion bread after the priest forcefully tried to place it in her mouth.
• 🩸 She showed an apparent bite mark on her forearm, stating the priest bit her during the struggle.
• ✋ The priest admitted to biting the woman, stating it was an act of defense for himself and the sacred sacrament, after she allegedly pushed him and grabbed the communion host.

Conflicting Accounts and Investigation

• 📹 Video evidence was unclear regarding the biting itself, with some witnesses stating they did not see the bite on camera.
• 🤷 The woman expressed suspicion that her sexual orientation might have been a factor, though the priest denied this, insisting the issue was procedural adherence.
• ⚖️ Police forwarded the case details to the state attorney's office for review, with an initial assessment suggesting simple battery.
• 📝 At the time of the report, the state attorney's office had not yet filed charges.