Vaccination requirement ‘upsets us deeply’: Quebec Catholic bishops

Church doors in Quebec reopened Feb. 7 for the celebration of indoor Mass, but only for vaccinated individuals, a decision Quebec’s bishops say “upsets us deeply.”

Quebec’s reopening of churches comes nearly 40 days after the provincial government locked down parishes across the province on New Year’s Eve.

A vaccination passport upon entry is mandated for parishioners ages 14 to 75 as places of worship welcome up to 50-per-cent capacity to a maximum of 250 people.

Up to 50 people may attend funerals. Premier Francois Legault declared no proof of vaccination rules necessary for these services because of “humanitarian reasons.”

Over the bitter cold month of January in Quebec, outdoor liturgical celebrations were the only option for vaccine-free congregants and became increasingly popular as the lockdown progressed.

Quebec unveiled its reopening intentions Jan. 25. Three days prior, the Quebec Interreligious Table — a consultation body uniting Christians, Muslims and Jews — released a statement asking the government to recognize churches as essential and prioritize their reopening.

In a Feb. 3 letter to the faithful, the Catholic Bishops of Quebec said they have been working with the Quebec Interreligious Roundtable Table (interreligieuse de concertation du Québec) “to persistently ask the government to reopen worship places as soon as possible. We also insisted that people attending our assemblies be exempted from the requirement of the vaccination passport, aware as we are of the negative effects of its imposition on our communities. We recognize that many faithful believe that this requirement constitutes an intolerable discrimination that deprives unvaccinated people of their right to religious freedom. This exclusion seems to them to be incompatible with the very essence of a community of believers, called to be welcoming, compassionate and open to diversity. On this, we agree with them.”  

The bishops said, “For the moment, we accept that vaccination passports are required to access worship spaces, even if this measure upsets us deeply. However, we remain in contact with government authorities to remind them that this requirement goes against our beliefs and to ensure that it will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The letter was signed by the executive of the Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops, Bishop Christian Rodembourg of Saint Hyacinthe, Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher of Gatineau, Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of Quebec City, Archbishop Christian Lepine of Montreal, and Archbishop Luc Cyr of Sherbrooke.

Meanwhile in the Maritimes, indoor Mass disruptions in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island were also eased. All jurisdictions of New Brunswick shifted back to level two of its COVID-19 alert system Jan. 31. Parishes can operate at 50-per-cent capacity at this threshold if no vaccine passport system is employed. Congregational singing or choir music is not permitted. Only one soloist may perform.

As of Jan. 31, up to 50 people may attend worship services, weddings and funeral ceremonies in P.E.I. Wedding and funeral receptions are banned, and congregational singing with masks on is allowed.

The Catholic Register with B.C. Catholic files