Episcopal anger is rare, but when it falls, it falls.
Thus Mgr Michel Aupetit, Archbishop of Paris, at the microphone of Marie-Ange de Montesquieu on Radio-Notre-Dame, Wednesday November 25 at 8:24 am as part of a short daily interview, entitled the phone call to Mgr Michel Aupetit.
It was down to the minute - 8:24 also - but without coordination with the bishops' conference which announced an agreement with the government to raise, "by Thursday morning", the maximum number of faithful for masses.
This famous gauge would no longer be "
thirty people
" as announced Tuesday evening by the President of the Republic but it would be of a "
more realistic
"
volume
while remaining "
strict
" in terms of health.
Read also: Deconfinement: reopening of shops this weekend, return of the curfew on December 15, exception for Christmas ... What Macron announced
An agreement of which the Archbishop of Paris was therefore not yet informed at the time he was speaking.
But his position will remain very symptomatic of the state of mind of the French episcopate.
Asked about the "
strict limit of 30 people
" for masses, announced by Emmanuel Macron, Bishop Aupetit began by throwing at the microphone of Radio Notre Dame: "
It is a totally stupid measure that contradicts common sense.
Thirty people in a small village church, we understand, but in Saint-Sulpice, it's ridiculous!
Parishioners come in 2000 to certain parishes in Paris.
We're going to stop at thirty-one… It's ridiculous!
"
Returning to the preliminary negotiations with the government (the Archbishop of Paris is a member by right of the permanent council of the episcopate, the decision-making body of the Church in France) Mgr Aupetit then explained that "in
accordance with what said the Council of State ",
the Church first"
discussed
"with the government but that"
as usual, we were listened to but not heard
".
From where this first conclusion of the prelate on the methods of consultation of the public authorities: “
There, once again, one makes fun of us!
"
Until now we have been extremely loyal to the legitimate authorities - as Saint Peter and Saint Paul ask us - but when we go too far and we touch our conscience and our common sense, it does not work. pass at all.
"
Bishop Aupetit
The man of the Church then explained the health measures proposed by the Catholics: "
That certain members of the religion ignore religion, it is their business and it is their right but that they ignore medicine, it is serious in the midst of a health crisis!
We have proposed to occupy a third of the usual capacity, leaving a space of 4m2 around each faithful.
Which corresponds perfectly to the sanitary condition.
This is what we do for traders
.
It's still astonishing that we allow it for traders and that we do not allow it for the Church…
”
Then the Archbishop of Paris let his anger explode: "
So there, that's enough, we must stop infantilizing ourselves!"
Until now we have been extremely loyal to the legitimate authorities - as Saint Peter and Saint Paul ask us - but when we go too far and we touch our conscience and our common sense, it does not work. pass at all.
"
Questioned finally, by Marie-Ange de Montesquieu on the state of the bond of “
confidence with the politicians
” Mgr Michel Aupetit warned: “
There, it is finished!
We are infantilized, we are not taken seriously ... We have shown our responsibility.
Two or three places, effectively highlighted, did not obey the orders - besides, I said it (...) but these people did not respect the protocol.
But for the rest, for a large majority, it is not even a majority, it is almost everyone, we have completely respected the sanitary rules.
So there, frankly, it's too much, that's enough, I'm thinking about how we will react.
"
Not knowing, as he spoke that a way out of this crisis had been found between the conference of bishops and the government, the Archbishop of Paris then hinted that the gauge of "thirty people" would not be respected: “
In any case, we enter our churches to assassinate us, it is Islamic terrorism, we are being slaughtered, we are slaughtering peaceful people who come to pray.
Maybe Mr. Darmanin will send police with batons to mass, that would be an amazing sight.
We will see.
"