N.J. Catholic Bishop Slugged In Mouth During Mass (VIDEO)

NEWARK, NJ — The Rev. Manuel Cruz, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, is recovering and “doing well” after being punched in the mouth during Mass on Saturday, archdiocese sources say.

A man wearing a white robe over a red suit attacked the 63-year-old Cruz as he was offering opening prayers at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The man struck him in the face and knocked him backward onto the altar, a video from the scene shows.

Multiple police officers on the scene then swarmed and apprehended Cruz’s attacker, who was eventually led out of the cathedral in handcuffs.

WARNING: Video contains footage that some viewers may find disturbing.

Cruz was taken to a nearby hospital for non-serious injuries and was released Saturday, reports say.

On Monday, the Archdiocese of Newark wrote that Cruz was recovering following the attack, which took place during a special Mass to honor Hall of Fame baseball great and Latino activist Roberto Clemente.

“Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Bishop Cruz,” the archdiocese stated. “He is doing well and is back at the cathedral residence.”

A spokesman for the Newark Archdiocese told NJ.com that Cruz wanted people to know that they shouldn’t get “worked up” about the isolated incident.

Authorities have charged a man named Charles Miller with aggravated assault in connection with the incident, NJ.com reported.

No motive for the attack was immediately available.

During a court appearance on Tuesday, Miller self-identified himself as a “reverend.”

Judge Sybil M. Elias ordered Miller held without bail pending a detention hearing. Elias said Miller may have an out-of-state criminal history, as well as failures to appear in court on other charges, NJ.com reported.

FIRST CUBAN-BORN PRIEST: NEWARK ARCHDIOCESE

According to the archdiocese website, Cruz was born in Havana, Cuba. He came to the United States in 1966 with his parents, spending a year in Florida before moving to Union City and attending public school in the district.

Cruz is a graduate of Seton Hall University and studied for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington. He was ordained a priest for service in the Archdiocese of Newark on May 31, 1980, and was the first Cuban-born priest ordained in the archdiocese.

Photo: YouTube screenshot, TAP Into Newark