Archbishop: Covid used as excuse to stifle right to worship

FPI / September 22, 2020

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone called out city and state leaders for their assault on religious freedom under the guise of coronavirus emergency protocol.

"I never expected that the most basic religious freedom, the right to worship — protected so robustly in our Constitution's First Amendment — would be unjustly repressed by an American government," the archbishop wrote. "But that is exactly what is happening in San Francisco."

The archbishop also answered criticism from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco resident who claims to be Catholic. Pelosi insists that "the science" dictates that churches should not be holding indoor services.

"There is no science that says only one person should be allowed to pray in churches such as the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, which seats 2,500 people. There's only one explanation for such a rule: a dislike of the Catholic Church," a Facebook post on the archdiocese page read. "The DeYoung Art Museum and other museums are being allowed by Mayor London Breed to open at 25 percent capacity: Why won't the City and County of San Francisco treat Catholics — at a minimum — the same?"

Cordileone led hundreds of Catholics who marched in San Francisco on Sunday, demanding city health officials ease covid lockdown orders on public indoor religious services.

Three separate marches began at St. Anthony of Padua Church, St. Dominic Church and St. Patrick Church early Sunday morning, CBS San Francisco reported. Demonstrators made their way to join up with Archbishop Cordileone at San Francisco's City Hall and then marched to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption.

Currently, indoor worship services are banned in San Francisco and there is a strict 12-person attendance limit placed on outdoor services.

"Here's what I would say to City Hall: You aren't hurting me. I celebrate the Mass every day. You are hurting hundreds of thousands of Catholics being denied the consolation of the sacraments in a time of great troubles," Cordileone said.

According to the CBS report, Pelosi on Friday said she misses going to Sunday mass, but was critical of the archbishop's recent Washington Post op-ed protesting limits on larger public gatherings. Pelosi said that Cordileone should not be putting people's lives at risk.

"With all do respect to my archbishop, I think we should follow science on this," Pelosi said. "I say, I believe science is an answer to our prayers. It is a creation of God, and one that is an answer to our prayers."

Pelosi and Joe Biden are two Democrats who often tout their Catholic faith despite supporting abortion on demand.

Earlier this month, WorldTribune.com reported on a Wisconsin priest who in a viral video said: “Here’s a memo to clueless baptized Catholics out there: you cannot be Catholic and a Democrat. Period.”



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