An elderly woman has received an apology from her parish priest and another priest who refused her Holy Communion last Friday after she told him she would vote in favour of divorce.

The woman, 68, who receives Holy Communion at home because of her medical condition, told The Times she loved the priest “like a son” and had accepted his apology. But it only came after she spent days crying and after a story appeared on Labour-leaning newspaper l-orizzont yesterday.

She has asked to remain anonymous and for the priest’s name not to be published. The parish priest, Fr Renald Lofreda, who was not involved in the incident, said this was “only an isolated case regarding one priest”.

“This is definitely not the attitude of the Church and neither of my parish towards persons in favour of divorce. The ecclesiastical authorities never said Holy Communion is to be refused to these people.”

He said he took the initiative to call the woman and speak to her, apologising for what had happened. “As parish priest I guaranteed her that she will continue to receive Holy Communion as usual.”

The woman said she suffered from depression, “so you can imagine how much I cried. I never thought he would not give me Holy Communion because I am going to vote ‘yes’. He told me I have to change my mind. And when I do, he would come and give it to me.

“I was shocked because he is a timid person. He was so angry, he flipped. Now things have calmed down. He said I should vote according to my conscience and that is what I want to do.”

However, she claimed the priest had also cautioned her intellectually impaired daughter against voting for divorce just before leaving confession. “I swear this on the grave of my dead son,” the woman told The Times, perturbed by the two incidents.

Standing firm by her decision to vote in favour of divorce, the woman said: “I will listen to my conscience.”

However, the incident has left a bitter taste, reminding her of religious intimidation of the past.

“I thought these things did not happen anymore. I lived through such things but now, in the year we are in, I don’t expect them to continue.”

She said she had similar “ugly experiences” in the past. “But we forgive, don’t we? Because that is what we are obliged to do.” She said when Fr Lofreda learnt about the incident he promised he would administer Holy Communion to her himself.

Meanwhile, the Curia has not replied to questions sent by The Times and the Church’s communications office was not contactable yesterday.