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Rev. Julian Medina, Priest Allegedly Drunk At Baptism, Suspended By Catholic Diocese of Sacramento

The Huffington Post First Posted: 08/25/11 10:15 AM ET Updated: 10/25/11 06:12 AM ET

Looks as if this priest needs to ask for forgiveness.

After allegedly showing up drunk to a baptism on Saturday at All Hallows Catholic Church in Sacramento, Calif., Rev. Julian Medina was been suspended by the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, according to a report by Fox 40 News.

The 64-year-old was scheduled to baptize 15 children in front of about 150 people, but instead showed up one hour late, slurred his words and had to be carried out of the church after falling over, CBS 17 Sacramento reports. A worker had to call in a deacon to perform the sacrament.

"We apologize to the families who had to experience this incident," the Rev. Santiago Raudes, a canon lawyer for the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, told the Sacramento Bee.

The priest has been with the diocese since 1978, but Medina was fairly new with the church, according to the New York Daily News.

A diocese spokesperson said officials are still investigating the matter, but that Medina will be offered help if it turns out he has a problem.

CBS 17 interviewed locals in the Tahoe Park neighborhood about the incident, and many say they were surprised about the news. Watch the reactions in the video below:

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05:04 AM on 09/02/2011
I have seen most of the comments above, I am very Impaled about them. I know this priest personally, he was a great pastor in my parish in Gridley many years ago. He just has a few problems, Father Julian needs help with them. And do not relate this matter with the pedophile problems in our church. Because in this Diocese, Bishop Jamie Soto has zero tolerance, and there has been no cases in this Diocese for a long time. To make a long story short, if I am standing next to priest or Bishop Soto, and they insult them, they have better be miles away from me. Thank you for your cooperation and God Bless our Priests and Religious Life.
04:56 PM on 08/25/2011
"Forgive me Father...for I have Ginned!"
02:44 PM on 08/25/2011
I guess he was full of "spirits".
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tacowater9
02:34 PM on 08/25/2011
It's better than a Mohel at a Briss.
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Parade Keegan
I Can Hear You
02:22 PM on 08/25/2011
Gee, the church suspended him? Sounds like they're all over it, to bad they aren't a swift with the sexual molesters.
02:41 PM on 08/25/2011
Agree!!
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Justmetootles
Ambivalent? Well, yes and no........
02:19 PM on 08/25/2011
I don't know but I wonder if anyone checked to see if he was having a diabetic reaction which often mimics being drunk. I would think that they would have checked that out first.
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GOODDOC1
"civil war" is an oxymoron
06:36 PM on 08/25/2011
I hope so, especially since ketones can smell like alcohol.
10:54 PM on 08/25/2011
Yeah, they found his syringe full of vodka.
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Sethjj1975
Now is always the time for kindness.
01:56 PM on 08/25/2011
I say keep them drunk. It's harder to get it up and rape children then.
01:38 PM on 08/25/2011
The priest at my wedding (but I am not Catholic) had to take a leave of absence soon thereafter to be treated for alcoholism. Maybe he drank because I did not convert who knows. Don't priests drink the remainder of the wine left over after Mass or was that in the olden days?
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AnglicanLib
02:37 PM on 08/25/2011
HowdyDoo... It is still common practice and sacramentally preferred to consume both the Blessed Wine and Blessed Bread at the end of Mass both in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. In the case of Anglican/Episcopal churches anyone serving at the Altar, whether ordained or lay may perform this act (I really don't know if the RCC allows laity). If, for whatever reason, consuming the leftover Sacrament is not done, the Blessed Wine is to be disposed of reverently by emptying out on the ground. If a priest is an alcoholic, it is best that he not consume the remaining Blessed Wine. Otherwise, there is never enough alcohol before, during or after Mass to create any intoxication.
07:46 AM on 08/26/2011
Thank-you for the information.
01:38 PM on 08/25/2011
Not surprise........
12:59 PM on 08/25/2011
Ha! Ha! Ha!
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360Dunk
Feeder of slot machines
12:27 PM on 08/25/2011
C'mon Reverend...you're not supposed to hold the child's head underwater for five minutes.
01:59 PM on 08/25/2011
too funny again, dunk.. (it's me, YouG. got banned for some reason).. lol
12:23 PM on 08/25/2011
Catholic doctrine requires people to drink wine in the mass in order to go to heaven. What do the sober recovering alcoholics do?
12:29 PM on 08/25/2011
They can use grape juice or skip it entirely.
12:29 PM on 08/25/2011
Skip the wine. Both the wine and the bread become the body and blood of Christ during mass. It's not neccessary to partake of both. Plenty of people choose one or the other during mass.
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AnglicanLib
02:41 PM on 08/25/2011
Very true, Megan!
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kagu632418
Live and Let Live .....
12:21 PM on 08/25/2011
You be suprised how many priests are alcoholics.. I drink too if you deny me to have relations with the opposite sex. The Catholic chruch practices the most unhealthy lifestyle with their unreasonable demands of priests .. there is nothing REAL about the CAtholic church - no wonder they slide from one scandal to another...
01:41 PM on 08/25/2011
There are plenty of scandals amongst the Protestants too...where do I even begin....
02:00 PM on 08/25/2011
Yes, because there is no such thing as a married alcoholic. *rolls eyes*
11:51 AM on 08/25/2011
happened to me also, priest came to the funeral home for last night, before my husband was to be buried. priest was so drunk he didn't know what year it was. he messed up so many times 'we requested to have a different priest.
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nicko68
11:15 AM on 08/25/2011
He probably drank the left-over alcohol he shared with the altar boys.