US | Communion Church Suspends Priest Who Denied Lesbian Communion But says punishment not connected to incident By Matt Cantor Posted Mar 12, 2012 11:34 AM CDT Copied A priest who refused communion to a lesbian has been suspended. (Shutterstock) The priest who barred a lesbian from taking communion at her mother's funeral has been suspended from ministry, his archdiocese said in a letter, according to MSNBC. A pastor who read the letter at masses this weekend says the serious punishment wasn't tied to the communion issue but instead "pertains to actions over the past week or two," the Washington Post notes. The letter itself says Rev. Marcel Guarnizo was punished for "intimidating behavior toward parish staff and others." Read These Next Mark Zuckerberg's 'list' has Silicon Valley buzzing. Tillis, who opposes Trump bill, won't seek reelection. IAEA chief downplays damage to Iran nuclear sites. Hall of Famer Dave Parker dies Report an error