Chai Brady
Archbishop Eamon Martin 
The Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has expressed “deep concern” regarding the criminalising of public worship despite Church cooperation with public health messaging, in a meeting with the Minister for Health today.
Archbishop Eamon met with Minister Stephen Donnelly and Dr Colette Bonner from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer in the afternoon following contact from Mr Donnelly’s office.
In the meeting the archbishop reiterated the Church’s support for the protection of health, life and for the common good and emphasised the importance of respecting and sustaining people’s spiritual well-being alongside their physical and mental health. For people of faith, he said “this is deemed essential”.
A statement following the meeting read: “The archbishop emphasised that the vital pastoral work of priests and other ministers on the ground should also be respected and deemed essential, rather than subject to penal sanction.
“Ministers of religion are often on the front line supporting the sick, the bereaved, the isolated and those who are struggling to cope. Pastoral ministry and spiritual support, which are so important for people during the time of pandemic, ought not to be confined to a small number of legally acceptable and ‘regulated activities’.”
Archbishop Eamon “stressed the importance of regular and meaningful conversation and consultation between Church, State and public health advisers to ensure that there is mutual understanding and positive cooperation in supporting life and health during times like the Covid-19 crisis”.
In the latest lockdown churches have been closed for public worship since December 26, but the Government has claimed that this was just a matter of regulation rather than law, despite priests being threatened with penal sanctions by gardaí.
The meeting came after a new Covid-19 statutory instrument, SI 171/2021, was added on Friday which was dubbed “draconian” by Archbishop Eamon. He said it was introduced in a “clandestine manner”.
Prelates only became aware of the new law on Friday when it was published. It was signed by Mr Donnelly last Monday.
The penalty for breaches of the new law is a fine of €127 or up to six months in jail, upon summary conviction.
“The precise provisions are unclear and at first reading appear to be draconian, going further than the restrictions we have been cooperating with throughout the pandemic to date,” said Archbishop Eamon upon learning of the new law. “We shall be seeking legal counsel to advise on several questions concerning the extent of the statutory instrument,” he said.
“We consider the publication of this statutory instrument, together with associated penal provisions, to be provocative and formally enacting a potential infringement of religious freedom and of constitutional rights.
“Together with other churches and faith communities, we have been cooperating fully with public health messages for more than a year now. At the same time, we have consistently impressed on (the) Government that people of faith value highly their spiritual well-being and consider the public practice of their faith as essential — something which has not been sufficiently recognised in statute.
“It is highly disappointing then that, despite the reassurances of the Taoiseach to Church leaders only two days ago that he understood the importance of faith and worship to the people of Ireland, this statutory instrument was introduced in a clandestine manner and without notice or consultation.
“We consider this to be a breach of trust,” Archbishop Eamon said.
Mr Donnelly said the statutory instrument was not intended to single out worship but was designed to regulate indoor and outdoor gatherings that might pose a risk.
He said that religious worship and spiritual well-being were taken very seriously by Government and consideration would be given to early re-opening of public worship in accordance with public health advice in the coming weeks.
Archbishop Eamon will meet with the other archbishops to brief them on the meeting. Meanwhile the Church has been seeking clarification and legal advice regarding the extent and implications of the statutory instrument.
