From Couriermail.com.au
THE parish priest of the South Brisbane St Mary’s Catholic Church will fight allegations of assault after an incident at Sunday mass.
Fr Kennedy is alleged to have knocked a mobile phone camera out of a man’s hand during the service.
Speaking on behalf of Fr Peter Kennedy, parishioner Karen Walsh unequivocally denied that Caboolture man Richard Stokes had been assaulted when Fr Kennedy tried to stop him taking photos of a baptism.
“The shots had children in the frame and were unauthorised,” Ms Walsh said.
Mr Stokes and several supporters marched from the church to the West End police station afterwards to file a complaint. Mr Stokes was not injured and police are regarding the incident as “minor”.
Ms Walsh said the incident had “nothing to do with previous disagreements”. She was referring to how Mr Stokes had written to the Vatican and the Brisbane Archbishop campaigning for Fr Kennedy to either follow church protocols or be removed from his post.
It is understood Mr Stokes was taking the photos because he was outraged the baptism was being conducted by a priest not wearing a vestment.
Mr Stokes was not available for comment yesterday.
I have felt like doing the same to many a photographer. However, you will always see me baptising in the proper vestments even if it means having a baby slip off my hip because of competing silks. One young child suggested I put velcro on my chasuble and velcro on the baby to prevent slippage.
RevRuth's Rantings 
> It is understood Mr Stokes was taking the photos because he was outraged the baptism was being conducted by a priest not wearing a vestment. <
Silly nonsense. A baptism performed by a lay person wearing ordinary casual clothes would be every bit as valid as one performed by the Pope himself – or even as one performed by Mother Ruth in a jewelled fiddleback chasuble with a 20-foot train of purple watered silk!
I want that train NOW!