UPDATED: Stephen Harper Puts Communion Wafer In His Pocket, Causes Uproar (VIDEO)

UPDATED: Speaker of the Senate of Canada Noel A. Kinsella, issued the following statement: "I would like to state that I personally witnessed Prime Minister Harper consume the host that was given to him by Archbishop Andre Richard. Sitting only a few seats behind him I had a full view of the proceedings and clearly saw the Prime Minister accept the host after Archbishop Richard offered it. The Prime Minister consumed it."

Earlier...

Prime Minister Stephen Harper angered Catholics by apparently pocketing a communion wafer at a funeral mass in Canada on Friday. Wafergate began with a news feed of the event that shows Harper accepting the host, as it is called by Catholics, and then moving his hand conspicuously away from his mouth, the wafer's intended target. An article in the Telegraph Journal reported on Harper's seeming befuddlement:

When Harper took the host, "everybody just paused and said, 'What did he do with it?'"‚" said one official who watched the pool feed with reporters who were not inside St. Thomas Church in Memramcook.

"You could see he was, 'Uh oh, I don't know what to do with this.'","

Monsignor Brian Henneberry, a vicar general and chancellor, was alerted to the incident by a concerned viewer.

Henneberry said he has received a call on Harper's actions from a concerned Catholic, and he doubts that she is the only one puzzled and perturbed.

"She said she was very upset," he said, adding he had not seen the footage.

"She said, 'All weekend long it has been bothering me and I know I can't do something about it, but someone should.'

"She can't be the only one in this country that is thinking that."

Watch the potentially incriminating video:

Comments

[asichii]

The priest who gave Mr Harper the 'wafer' should have immediately noticed that the man was out of order. It is taboo ('catholically' speaking) to receive the 'wafer' with one hand. Growing up I attempted to get one myself before I was certified to receive it and I got a big slap out of nowhere (from the priest). It is tricky business to the uninitiated! You gotta know which hand goes on top. Even your demeanor sells you out. You can see quite clearly that Harper was an outcast.

[ArchAngel]

This is what satanist do. Google it.

[HC4BO]

He was just immunizing himself from the H1N1 flu ...

Who knows where that priest's fingers were before the event ... ?

[ochaye]

Harper belongs to the evangelical Christian and Missionary alliance. He probably guessed he would've taken more heat for swallowing the "morceau" in public. Or maybe he's been told that catholic food causes diarrhea.

[Exexecution]

I always wondered if Harpie swallowed

[thecanadian]

Harper is a sleeze! He was at a Catholic MASS - don't tell me he didn't know - it was just another photo op for this bottom feeder!

[cellopaddy]

I don't know anything about the guy... but having been a musician for hire in many different denominations, I totally respect what he did. This will probably only offend Catholics.

[DoctorWhoDat]

Maybe he didn't like the flavor or he took a good look at the priests hands and noticed that they were kinda brown on the finger tips.

[Clovie]

Is there nothing else to talk about in Canada? (I know nothing about Harper other than what's here)

Seems to me that he was trying to be respectful by taking what was offered and then didn't know what to do with it. If he's not Catholic, he shouldn't have taken it, but I doubt he thought it would be perceived as such a slight. It looks like a "crap, I don't know what the etiquette here is...I'll just put it in my pocket discreetly..." moment.

[Exexecution]

Uh, kinda stupid to go and get in line if you don't know what's up.

[Clovie]

Agreed- but if he just sat there in the pew, he'd probably get crap for going to Mass but not participating in it.

[clipper]

Never heard a word about this in Canada. Only on Huff Po, eh.

[wilkolass]

Basically, as an Evangelical Christian who has just taken (but not eaten) communion, Harper has now 1) tried to say that he agrees with Catholic teaching ("in communion"), 2) has ashamed Canadians who know what that communion means, and 3) just put Jesus in his pocket (literally).

I am ashamed that our prime minister, who is a Christian, and who knew he would be attending a Catholic funeral, doesn't have the decency to look up what exactly goes on in said funeral. Either way, whether he ate it or put it in his pocket, he did Catholics wrong and shouldn't have stepped in the line in the first place - either that he should have asked for a blessing instead.
Does he really need to fit in that badly?

[cellopaddy]

I mostly agree with you. but..
In reference to (1), communion is not just Catholic. It may have come from it, but so did Protestants.
In reference to (2), different denominations have different views in what actually happens during communion. Specifically, some believe the carbohydrate 'host' literally, through the holy ghost, becomes the body of christ, while others view it symbolically. The latter are unlikely to be offended.

I thought what he did was discreet and respectful. If he were just playing to the cameras, or being otherwise disingenuous, he would have simply eaten the wafer. He did not out of respect.

[Exexecution]

Communion is standard practice for the 'confirmed' in Anglican church.
However, I percieve he acted as he did because he is a fundie and just not that into Catholics (ike the millions of French-Canadian Catholics in Quebec)

[SparkyAdams]

That's Jesus in that biscuit! Literally. I'm an exCatholick.

[chickenpieeggs]

I prefer a little smoked salmon on mine...

[CAHertzfe]

Who cares. For that do, Noel Kinsella, speaker of the senate witnessed the PM consume the wafer.

Why do people have to be in our bedrooms and our hearts? If he didn't want to consume the wafer so what? In old days, we were not supposed to touch the wafter, and take it kneeling, even if it stuck to roof of your mouth (which it did often). Now they take the wafer in hand standing. Catholics change the laws based on convenience. Used to be a sin to eat meat on Fridays too. SO WHAT!!!! It's none of anyone's business even if he stuck the wafer up his arse. It's a wafer, it only symbolizes something to believers. Let the believers do what THEY want. Why are they looking around the church gawking at everyone, are they not suppose to have their eyes on their own for personal reflection? See the stupidity and hypocrisy of those screaming? Geeeeesh!

[HelloFunnyWorld]

Some thing on Steve Harper.... Now you've really got our attention Huffpost.... Really!!

[rumblingspire]

he did not have to get in line to receive the body and blood of christ. In fact, he should not have been in line to receive, as it is a mortal sin to receive that wafer if you have a mortal sin on your soul. and if he missed a previous mass he has a mortal sin on his soul.

oh heck, he should not have been in line.

[rumblingspire]

where were his handlers. do his handlers understand Catholic rules.

and if he lied about it, he now has a venial sin on his soul. he needs the confessional.

:)

[rumblingspire]

his punishment will be 5 Our Fathers and 20 Hail Mary's. LOL

[MED1025]

Since he is there in an official capacity. They bettter get him some handlers before they have to send him abroad to a state funeral and he does something stupid and embarrasses the nation.

[mrpuddles]

Harper's busy sc****** over Canada and the MSM says nothing but he pockets a communion wafer and it's a big deal. Unbelievable.

[PANOP]

You are missing the point - He has LIED about doing it. He is a LIAR who is caught on tape so to speak!

WaferGate - love it.

[Exexecution]

It's a start

[PANOP]

As a Canadian, I am so ashamed to be represented by this visionless dinosaur. He has no integrity; he is secretive, hypocritical and vicious.

By the way, he is banking on Americans (i.e. big US/Texas corps) to slurp up our Alberta oil from the soon-to-be most dirtiest oil project in the world.

Many people are missing the point of this story: He is DENYING he put it in his pocket. There it is - in his hand than it is not in his hand. Presto. Yet he actually is DENYING it! This is the level of ignorance and arrogance we are dealing with. Hmmm does this guy remind you of anyone from your past?

WaferGate...I can't get enough of that! LOL!