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<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7045ec0ce5b4cd7d11c8a30d6ca8fb40 wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>Rev Fr. David Gaines, parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Wash., was praying alongside Bishop Thomas Daly when the man launched his attack </strong></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-65078a03a00d2c0e9298fdc777ad6d9d wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>The assault occurred during the church’s second night the Lourdes Novena for Healing, a series of nine days of prayers for healing</strong></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ba24abacd18c880cf0d05cb2c1c19a70 wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>It culminating with the Feast of the Lady of Lourdes, the patron saint of healing, peace and the sick </strong></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6218cf85cf3e8f55993faf5df5940827 wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>&#8216;it’s providential or ironic that we are in these days of healing and in the midst of all this, this happens from a man who needs some sort of healing in his life&#8217; &#8211; Fr Darrin Connall, Rector of the cathedral </strong></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9ca779e014fbcc060bcf37fcd0c7cea2 wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>Fr Gaines absorbed a punch to the face overpowered his assailant while church security helped to restrain him</strong></p>



<p class="has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-be04f3505901c4fc49917d4ce4b9817a wp-block-paragraph" style="color:#2e1919;font-size:14px"><strong>The man was arrested and charged with assault and trespassing</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Disturbed-gentleman-attacks-the-Rev.-David-Gaines-inside-the-Cathedral-of-Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-in-Spokane-Washington-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-474845"/></figure>



<p class="has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><strong>A man said to be &#8216;disturbed&#8217; mounted the altar to attack Rev Fr David Gaines during evening service inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington, on Tuesday, February 4</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A priest in prayer at the altar was attacked by a person described as a “disturbed gentleman” during healing mass at a Catholic cathedral in Washington state, causing quite a stir in the church on Tuesday.<br>Rev Fr David Gaines, parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington, was praying alongside Bishop Thomas Daly, Diocesan prelate of Spokane, when the man launched his attack.<br>The assault occurred during the church’s second night of the Lourdes Novena for Healing, a series of nine days of prayers for healing culminating with the Feast of the Lady of Lourdes, the patron saint of healing, peace and the sick.<br>Footage of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thespokanecathedral/videos/1268457087745237" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">church’s livestream</a> captured the suspect jumping out of his seat in the first row pew and running toward the altar where the celebrants were kneeling.<br>Fr Gaines stood up as the man reached him and absorbed a punch to the face. The attacker, who was not identified, fell to the floor as Gaines jumped on top of him to subdue the man.<br>The two wrestled for several seconds before church staff and other worshipers rushed to the aid of the priest.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Disturbed-gentleman-attacks-the-Rev.-David-Gaines-inside-the-Cathedral-of-Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-in-Spokane-Washington-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-474846"/></figure>



<p class="has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Still from the cathedral’s livestream footage captured the suspect jumping out of his seat in the first row pew, rushing toward the altar where the celebrants were kneeling to strike the priest</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The rector, Fr Darrin Connall, who had been leading the prayer when the man struck, called for security as the man’s unintelligible yells echoed throughout the cathedral.<br>The man was handcuffed and led out of the cathedral by several men in attendance as Connall returned to his position and resumed the service with a prayer for “that disturbed gentleman.”<br>At the end of the service, Connall thanked those who “stormed the sanctuary” to help the priests.<br>He also notified the congregants that the man was arrested and charged with assault and trespassing.<br>Gaines didn’t sustain any injuries in the attack and no one else was injured.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Disturbed-gentleman-attacks-the-Rev.-David-Gaines-inside-the-Cathedral-of-Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-in-Spokane-Washington-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-474847"/></figure>



<p class="has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bishop Thomas Daly turns to look as Fr Gaines tackles the man who stormed the alter on Tuesday night, during healing mass at the Cathedral of our lady of Lourdes</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Disturbed-gentleman-attacks-the-Rev.-David-Gaines-inside-the-Cathedral-of-Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-in-Spokane-Washington-5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-474849"/></figure>



<p class="has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Despite the punch to the face Fr. Gaines did not sustain injuries,and no one else was injured either in the attack that happened during evening service at the Cathedral of our lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington, on Tuesday</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The celebrants were all back in the cathedral Wednesday night for the third night of prayers, where Fr Connall briefly spoke about the attack.<br>&#8216;We’re fine, just a little shaken from last night but today helped, it was a troubling event last night.&#8217;<br>The rector playfully poked fun at Fr Gaines and suggested he should wear a bandage like the one President Trump wore following his assassination attempt in July 2024.<br>&#8216;I asked Father Gaines to process in tonight with a square bandage over his ear, I would’ve done it but Father Gaines has more integrity,&#8217; the priest said to laughs from the audience.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Disturbed-gentleman-attacks-the-Rev.-David-Gaines-inside-the-Cathedral-of-Our-Lady-of-Lourdes-in-Spokane-Washington-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-474848"/></figure>



<p class="has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Rector Darrin Connall, who had been leading the prayer when the attack happened, called for security as the man’s unintelligible yells echoed throughout the cathedral. </strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8216;Fr. Gaines and Bishop Daly are both doing well. Thank you for all of your concerns and thank you for joining us again for this evening’s Novena,&#8217; the church wrote on Facebook.<br>&#8216;Whatever his motivation was it wasn’t well, so it’s providential or ironic that we are in these days of healing and in the midst of all this, this happens from a man who needs some sort of healing in his life,&#8217; Fr Connall <a href="https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/man-arrested-attacking-spokane-priest/293-94957fab-57cc-4db0-8a89-6f75a68c662d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observed</a>.<br>No motivation for the attack was revealed, but the man is expected to appear in court on Thursday.</p>

‘Disturbed gentleman’ rushes alter to attack priest during prayer service at Catholic Cathedral in Washington state
