A priest is under investigation after allegations he halted his sermon to publicly shame a wheelchair-bound , partially sighted dementia sufferer for rustling her prayer sheet . It is claimed that Father John Lochran , 67 , suddenly stopped Mass to rebuke retired psychologist Frances Haler , 87 , who also suffers from leukaemia . The congregation at the Roman Catholic church looked on as the priest – who denies the accusation – told the octogenarian : ‘ Will you stop rustling ! ’ A Catholic priest is being investigated after claims he halted his Sunday sermon mid-flow to berate wheelchair-bound Frances Haler ( pictured with her granddaughter Alanna ) for rustling her prayer sheet . After the service , Mrs Haler ’ s daughter Toni Bewley said she confronted Father Lochran but he was said to have retorted : ‘ It ’ s my church. ’ He is then said to have suggested the elderly lady take communion in her nursing home instead of his church . The incident at St Winefride ’ s Roman Catholic Church in St Asaph in Denbighshire , is being investigated by the Bishop of Wrexham , the Right Reverend Monsignor Peter Brignall . Last night the pensioner ’ s family condemned the priest . Mrs Bewley , 60 , a college lecturer from Bodelwyddan in North Wales , said : ‘ Mum was really quiet throughout the service , and then I got the hymn and prayer book and all the bits of paper . Mum folded the paper in half and held it up close to her eyes . ‘ He looked up and said , “ Will you stop rustling paper and holding paper up – I ’ m doing a sermon. ” Thankfully , I don ’ t think Mum realised . ‘ I was absolutely livid . At the end of the service I told him he had publicly humiliated my mother . ‘ He said he was in the middle of his sermon and he was in flow and it was disturbing him . Mrs Haler 's daughter Tony Bewley ( right ) says she was left feeling 'absolutely livid ' at the priest 's behaviour towards her mother at St Winefride 's Roman Catholic Church ( left ) in St Asaph in Denbighshire , Wales . Mrs Haler , who has chronic leukaemia and dementia , is pictured left , receiving an award and right , on her wedding day 60 years ago . ‘ I have got more Christianity in me than he has in his big toe . I ’ ve been left very upset . ‘ I just can ’ t see what justification he had to humiliate her in the way he did . It ’ s so sad , given dwindling congregation numbers , that he could be like this . ‘ It ’ s made me question my faith . There ’ s no way he can justify such an un-Christian attitude. ’ Mrs Bewley said her mother usually enjoyed the services because it helped with her dementia by allowing her to recall long-term memories . But trouble started before this particular service even began , when Father Lochran directed Mrs Haler to sit at the side of the church by the organ – despite her being blind in one eye and partially sighted in another . When Mrs Bewley told him she would not be able to see the Mass , he allegedly responded : ‘ This is where she sits , this is my church. ’ The incident happened earlier this month when Mrs Haler was attending the Saturday evening Mass in a 29-strong congregation just 200 yards from the nursing home where she lives . Scots-born Father Lochran , who has been at the church for 14 years , said : ‘ For many years I was chaplain to pilgrims at Lourdes . I would never speak to someone with dementia like that – and I didn ’ t on this occasion. ’ A Diocese spokesman said : ‘ Bishop Peter has no comment to make until the issues have been thoroughly investigated. ’ The incident , which is said to have occurred during a Sunday sermon at St Winefride 's Roman Catholic Church ( pictured ) in St Asaph in Denbighshire , north Wales , is being investigated by the Bishop of Wrexham .
Father Frances Haler , 67 , was saying Mass when he suddenly stopped . John Lochran is said to have been told off for 'disturbing ' his service . 87-year-old retired psychologist has chronic leukaemia and dementia . Her daughter says after confronting priest , he said : 'This is my church ' But Father Lochran has denied the claims , insisting : 'It simply isn ’ t true ' The incident is now being investigated by the Bishop of Wrexham .