In a disturbing video out of France, a Catholic priest is seen slapping a baby who is crying just before getting baptized.

If you have the stomach for it, you see it around the 0:23 mark of the video below. The priest repeatedly says “calm down” to the child before resorting to violence.

The parents appear shocked when it happens and there’s an audible gasp coming from behind the camera. The priest, of course, thinks nothing of it even as the parents try taking back their child and even as someone else touches his arm, perhaps in an effort to get him to calm the hell down.

We don’t know when or where this took place, but the video appeared online yesterday and it’s quickly making the rounds online, with many commenters saying they would have returned the favor.

As any new parent will tell you, saying “calm down” to a baby doesn’t work. Let’s hope these parents never step foot inside another Catholic church again — it’s best for the safety of their child.

(Thanks to Christy for the link)

