Letters: on closed churches

After sifting through recent letters to the editor, only two salient points are necessary:

1. Receiving Jesus with reverence in Holy Communion is dependent only on the reverence we have for him in our hearts. All else is outward show.

2. Under normal circumstances, churches of all faiths would be open today.

Jesus himself firmly stated, “Render unto Caesar …” As good citizens, we comply with carrying out our civic duties, and in doing so we demonstrate further our love for our neighbour.

Thea Baxter
Surrey

I support the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s Blue Light Campaign, a call for Catholics to display blue light as our representation of Christmas, especially since the inexplicable lockdown of churches at the beginning of Advent.

Social and political movements have always used innocuous things, including colours, to add symbolism and meaning. Look at how the colour red has been used by communist countries and how the rainbow has been co-opted by activists.

For Christians, red and green are associated with Christmas, with holly, poinsettia, and the Christmas tree becoming symbols of Christmas over the centuries.

In the past, especially during Lent, I have phoned stores to ask if they have pink and purple candles and to drop a line that Catholics want to buy candles of such colours during this time.

Imagine Catholics in our city and across the country calling their favourite stores and asking for blue lights every Advent. Such a demand would send a signal and is also one way we can evangelize.

Change is slow, but this is a good start. It is about time Catholics stop being reactive, especially during this pandemic, and take a proactive stand for our faith.

Nancy May
Vancouver

With the start of the NHL season I think the faithful of Vancouver and other jurisdiction where religious gatherings have been temporarily banned need to prayerfully consider not watching hockey until governments lift their ban on religious gatherings.

When I heard that the government approved games to be played in Vancouver, then days later extended its ban on religious gatherings, I was troubled by this double standard. I cannot support the government’s decision or the league through my viewership.

Viewing sports may offer some divertissement that physicians and psychologists propose as a relief from the COVID blues, but it’s a fleeting distraction.

I pray that that our governments take more seriously the impact of attending religious services. Attending the Holy Mass can feed our souls in a way that no sport can.

Joseph Myers
Surrey

In his Jan. 18 column, Paul Schratz stated, “I know the archbishop is very disturbed by the restrictions, but he’s trying to delicately balance competing issues of religious liberty and public health. He also believes strongly in the role of the lay faithful and would love to see more people taking this issue to the government directly.”

The B.C. government does not listen to the lay faithful. Trust me. I have written many letters to Dr. Bonnie Henry, Health Minister Adrian Dix, and Premier John Horgan. I have not received a reply, and my suggestions have certainly not been acted upon as churches remain closed. 

I sincerely believe that religious people are being particularly targeted for discrimination. Our churches may never be allowed to open if we don’t stand up for our rights now. 

I am asking our archbishop to step forward on behalf of Catholics in Metro Vancouver to use his office to open our churches with the assurance to the government that health protocols will be followed. 

Lisa Lewko
Delta

Now you have vaccines, now you don’t. The vaccine dose deliveries illustrate our government’s lack of foresight, preparedness, and priorities. We are one of the few technologically advanced countries in the world without a single pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. In the vaccination rate chart, we are just above Russia at the bottom of the list. Now we learn the European Union might consider controlling vaccines shipped internationally.

Our leaders are convinced that closing our churches will effectively combat the spread of COVID-19, but it didn’t start in a Sunday service; it started with flight arrivals from infected countries. Now some returning visitor from the UK has brought the COVID-19 variant with him to Canada.

The horses have fled and we are fixing the barn doors.

John Bueno
North Vancouver