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Reconfinement: will Catholics keep Mass?

2020-11-07T16:45:05.195Z


The Conference of Bishops of France has filed an appeal so that religious services, prohibited due to confinement, can be


What will the Council of State decide?

The highest French administrative court examined Thursday, November 5, no less than 21 requests contesting the suspension of religious ceremonies during the reconfinement, and in particular of the Sunday mass.

Is there a violation of the freedom of worship, a fundamental freedom?

The answer must come this Saturday or Sunday.

Since Tuesday, November 3, all collective religious celebrations are prohibited at least until December 1 because of the re-containment.

While churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc. can remain open and accessible to the faithful as part of their daily walk, no place of worship is authorized to organize gatherings within it "except for funeral ceremonies, in the limit of thirty people ”.

A measure "out of proportion"

The churches can therefore no longer celebrate Mass.

A measure "out of proportion" for Mgr Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, archbishop of Reims (Marne) and president of the Conference of Bishops of France, who filed an appeal against this ban, which he said "infringes the freedom of worship which is one of the fundamental freedoms in our country ”.

READ ALSO>

"Leave us the mass": the rebellion of Catholics against the ban on celebrations


In total, twenty-one petitions against the government decree were filed by bishops, Catholic associations such as Civitas, Catholic Family Associations, or even individual petitioners.

"We cannot draw a parallel between confinement 1

(Editor's note: spring)

and confinement 2

(Editor's note: in force since October 30)

, schools are open, there is the right to demonstrate, many exemptions are authorized ”, estimated Me François-Henri Briard, council of six bishops, during the hearing before the Council of State.

Me Guillaume Valdelièvre, lawyer for Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, invited for his part to compare the risk of transmission of the Covid-19 virus, between "a mass in the Nièvre" and taking "line 13" of the Paris metro (often very busy).

Difficult application of health rules

"The government considered that it was difficult in places of worship to respect (the) health rules" of protection against the epidemic, replied Pascale Léglise, representative of the Ministry of the Interior.

She also underlined that places of worship remained open to the public and that those who so wish “can go to confession, pray individually, and meditate”.

"The priests can go to the faithful", noted Pascale Léglise, specifying that the officiants could "organize a filmed mass".

“Everyone wants their fundamental freedom to be respected

[…]

but everyone wants their resuscitation bed when the time comes!

"She said, adding" yes, we had to make choices.

Another debate: the fact that the travel certificate does not provide for any specific box to be able to go to his place of worship.

“You have to (either) be athletic, (or) own a dog, walk or have a

compelling family reason,

” quipped Me Briard.

Pascale Léglise replied that a sheet had been sent to the prefects, but that if it was necessary to "write black and white" this precision, the certificate would be modified.

"Spiritual life is vital for many people"

In the spring, the Catholic community had not contested the abolition of masses.

But at the time of deconfinement, and while the ban on religious celebrations had not been lifted, ultra-conservative associations had filed an appeal with the Council of State and won their case on May 18.

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This time, the episcopate chose to counter-attack, deeming the shutdown of public offices unjust while schools and many businesses remain open.

Vincent Neymon, spokesperson for the CEF, assures us that the Catholic faithful respect the barrier gestures to the letter and demand not a "derogation" but "the reestablishment of the law, that of freedom of worship".

“Spiritual life is vital for many people,” he insists.

An online student-initiated “For the Mass” petition has collected over 101,000 signatures.

"Leave Mass to us!"

»Ask the signatories to Emmanuel Macron.

They explain feeling the need to meet again after the terrorist attack which targeted the basilica of Nice on October 29 and to pray "for our martyrs, for our attackers, for France, and for you too, Mr. President".

Source: leparis

All life articles on 2020-11-07

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