- When Father Czesław Kubera arrived late, he started slurring and mumbling
A parish priest in Poland has sparked anger after turning up drunk and late to the funeral of a stillborn baby.
When Father Czesław Kubera from the village of Garczegorze in northern Poland arrived at the funeral an hour after it was supposed to begin, he started slurring and mumbling.
“He confused words, slurred words and could barely stand,” Polish newspaper Fakt said.
He then told the grieving family that “the angel sleeps, so I slept too.”
The baby’s devastated aunt told Fakt: ‘The priest didn’t show up, so the funeral home called him.
The church in Garczejrz (archive photo). After arriving at the funeral an hour after it was supposed to start, Father Czesław Kubera from the village of Garczegorze in northern Poland began slurring and mumbling.
‘After the phone call, the priest came by and a local parishioner drove after him because the priest had lost his driver’s license for driving under the influence of alcohol.
‘When he arrived he was drunk. He jumbled words, slurred and confused songs.
‘At the entrance to the cemetery he told us: “The angel is sleeping, so I slept too.” Everyone was speechless. I don’t know, we’re lost for words.
‘The boy’s parents can’t talk. This caused them even more pain
“When he finished the ceremony, we called the police.”
When police arrived, they found that the priest was over the alcohol limit.
According to other shocked witnesses, he could not stand properly.
Police spokeswoman Marta Szałkowska said: “We have received a report that a priest was conducting funeral services in the Nowa Wieś Lęborska municipality, and that he may have been drunk.”
She noted that he had undergone a breathalyzer test and was found to be over the limit.
“He was fined PLN 500 (£99),” she said.
It has now emerged that he was caught driving under the influence last year and lost his driving licence.
An outraged local told Fakt newspaper: ‘This is not the first such situation with this priest.
‘He was drunk at masses and baptisms, but the situation at the funeral was beyond human comprehension.
‘We reported it to the curia (the official body that governs the Catholic Church), but there was no response before.
“This priest should go to rehab and not lead mass.”
Bishop Ryszard Kasyna, who oversees the parish, said: “The diocesan bishop called the parish priest from Gargrzerz for an interview.
‘The family of the deceased child will be informed about the results and the consequences for the priest.’