"I shouldn't have done it", says priest who beat parishoner

LISBON, Oct 21 (AFP) - A Portuguese priest repeatedly struck one of his parishoners, sending her to hospital, after the woman insisted that her daughter be allowed to go to Sunday school even though the deadline to register had passed, local media reported.

"I struck her various times on the head with my hand. I shouldn't have done it," Father Antonio Caetano told daily newspaper Jornal de Noticias.

BizVantage – Beyond the news - a realtime Net clipping service: for business, investment or technology.
Try the free, no-hassle 6 month trial!

Caetano said he became angered when the 39-year-old woman refused to leave his private residence in the northern village of Souto Redondo where she had come to request that her daughter be allowed to attend his weekly religious studies classes.

Maria de Fatima told the paper the priest tried to push her out the door after the argument became heated but when she still did not move he began hitting her on the head.

The woman, who has filed a complaint with the local bishop, sought hospital treatment for minor bruises and was immediately released, the paper said.

Caetano said he would be "very happy" to be relocated.

"I have been asking for a long time to leave this parish," he said.

ds/cml

Portugal-priest-offbeat