News from Europe

Double standards regarding safety regulations in English places of worship

English Bishop Philip Egan from Portsmouth admits that he is starting to question his decision to cancel Masses with the participation of the faithful. "It was a dramatic decision for me as a priest and bishop to decree the suspension of public sacraments and to close churches," wrote Bishop Philip Egan in a special statement issued last Sunday.

 

The bishop admitted that he closed the churches “very reluctantly, not wanting to act separately from other dioceses.” He said it is unfortunate for him that he had to restrict the possibility for the faithful to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

“When I went out for a walk in recent days (allowed by the government, once a day), I noticed that supermarkets and some stores are open, and people obviously were going to work. Some synagogues and mosques were open too,” he explained.

The bishop, although sceptical of the precautions he had introduced by himself and the other English hierarchies, did not revoke the decree he had issued earlier. He encouraged priests to bring Christ in all other available and possible ways: proclaiming the Word of God, administering  the sacraments at the request of believers and providing pastoral ministry.

Source: pch24.pl

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