Washington priest attacked by ‘disturbed gentleman’ as prayer service collapses into chaos
A Catholic priest was attacked by a “disturbed gentleman” during a prayer service in Washington state as the peaceful ceremony collapsed into chaos on Tuesday.
The Rev. David Gaines, parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Wash., was praying alongside Bishop Thomas Daly when the man launched his attack.
The assault occurred during the church’s second night the Lourdes Novena for Healing, a series of nine days of prayers for healing culminating with the Feast of the Lady of Lourdes, the patron saint of healing, peace and the sick.
Footage of the church’s livestream captured the suspect jumping out of his seat in the first row pew and running toward the altar where the celebrants were kneeling.
Gaines stood up as the man reached him and absorbed a punch to the face.
The attacker, who was not identified, fell to the floor as Gaines jumped on top of him to subdue the man.
The two wrestled for several seconds before church staff and other worshippers rushed to the aid of the priest.
One of the microphones picked up a witness telling the attacker to “calm down.”
“It’s OK, buddy, it’s all right, it’s OK,” the voice added.
The rector, the Rev. Darrin Connall —?who had been leading the prayer when the attack happened — called for security as the man’s unintelligible yells echoed throughout the cathedral.
The man was handcuffed and led out of the cathedral by several men in attendance as Connall returned to his position and resumed the service with a prayer for “that disturbed gentleman.”
At the end of the service, Connall thanked those who “stormed the sanctuary” to help the priests.
He also notified the congregants that the man was arrested and charged with assault and trespassing.
Gaines didn’t sustain any injuries in the attack and no one else was injured.
“Fr. Gaines and Bishop Daly are both doing well. Thank you for all of your concerns and thank you for joining us again for this evening’s Novena,” the church wrote on Facebook.
“Whatever his motivation was it wasn’t well, so it’s providential or ironic that we are in these days of healing and in the midst of all this, this happens from a man who needs some sort of healing in his life,” Connall told KREM.
The celebrants were all back in the cathedral Wednesday night for the third night of prayers, where Connall briefly spoke about the attack.
“We’re fine, just a little shaken from last night but today helped, it was a troubling event last night.”
Connall playfully poked fun at Gaines and suggested he should wear a bandage like the one President Trump wore following his assassination attempt in July 2024.
“I asked Father Gaines to process in tonight with a square bandage over his ear, I would’ve done it but Father Gaines has more integrity,” the priest said to laughs from the audience.
The man is expected to appear in court on Thursday, the outlet reported.
No motivation for the attack was revealed.
