"Priest kicked me out of Mass because of Obama signs"

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10968645?source=most_emailed

Fairfield woman: Priest kicked me out of Mass because of Obama signs
By Ryan Chalk


A Fairfield woman whose car was adorned with celebratory signs for President-elect Barack Obama says she is furious that a priest singled her out during Mass Sunday morning and ordered her to leave.

Elizabeth Caster said the Rev. Sebastian Meyer humiliated her in front of the congregation at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Fairfield, saying from the pulpit, "We cannot have a car with Obama signs written on it on these premises. And I don't care who Obama is."

He continued: "I want this car off the premises in 10 minutes or it will be towed. Whoever's vehicle this is, I want it removed. I don't want to see that car anywhere around here," she said.

Meyer did not return calls. An attempt to speak to him in person ended abruptly Wednesday morning when he announced, "No, we're not writing that," and reportedly lunged at a reporter, attempting to snatch the reporter's notebook away.

That incident was reported to police and the Diocese of Sacramento, which oversees Roman Catholic churches in the Fairfield area.

Kevin Eckery, a spokesman for the diocese, said that because police had been notified, he couldn't comment on any specifics involving Wednesday's incident.

Still, he acknowledged the right of the reporter to ask questions.

Caster said the priest followed her and her 10-year-old son out of the church and refused to let her move her Toyota Sequoia, which was parked between two other cars in a loading zone outside the church, anywhere else in the parking lot.

Caster, who was contacted by many concerned church members the next day, believes it was the Obama slogans that riled the priest. Among those who watched Sunday's incident was Joanne Smith, who said she has seen vehicles parked in the yellow zone with signs supporting John McCain. She also was curious about why Caster's vehicle was singled out.

Caster's husband, Joe, had stayed home that morning because he was feeling ill. He was outraged when she called to tell him about it.

"Her right to free speech was violated," he said.

The Casters say they have given $25 a week to the church for the past six years, but that has come to an end.

Peggy Sherrod, a parishioner since 1989 who teaches a religious study session to sixth-graders, also witnessed the incident and said it made her sad.

"It took a lot out of me to sit there and not walk out," Sherrod said.

Eckery said Meyer told him that he was merely concerned about an illegally parked vehicle that was partially blocking access to the church.

Meyer told Eckery he admitted leaving the pulpit to make the announcement and only referenced the Obama writing to identify the car.

"The congregation and Father Sebastian are very sorry for any misunderstanding and there certainly was no intent to say anything bad about our president-elect," Eckery said.

 

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