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‘Let Us Worship’ pastor calls for Christian revival amid COVID-19 lockdowns
‘Do we fear God or do we fear man? Are we willing to take a stand to break the rules to honor God?’
Judge hands huge victory to Catholic priest fighting California gov’s restrictions on churches
‘The Supreme Court’s decision in Brooklyn Diocese v. Cuomo has opened the way to the liberation of churches from the absurd and bigoted superstition that they are veritable death chambers threatening the entire population.’
Christians fight back against restrictions, plan to fill churches for Christmas
‘As Catholics and Americans, we have the canonical and constitutional right to freely worship,’ the campaign states.
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- Bishops of England and Wales again permit reception of Communion on the tongue
After refusing to offer Holy Communion on the tongue for almost a year, the new guidelines published by the bishops’ conference allow Catholics to receive the Eucharist on the tongue.
- Legal settlement: California forced to stop discriminating against churches, must pay their legal fees
‘The permanent injunctions in these cases uphold and protect one of the most cherished principles of our republic: The Free Exercise of Religion.’
- Pastor tells Alberta premier: Christians serve ‘higher law,’ ‘higher authority’ than gov’t.
Pastor Tim Stephens was jailed for several days for holding indoor church services in violation of lockdowns in the province.
- The safety of Holy Communion on the tongue vs Communion in the hand, during COVID-19
The arguments that Communion in the hand during COVID time is of less risk than Communion on the tongue, is not well grounded.
- Court orders Newsom to pay $1.35M in churches’ legal fees, bans discrimination against churches in COVID policies
‘California may never again place discriminatory restrictions on churches and places of worship,’ Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said regarding the decision, which Liberty Counsel won on behalf of Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry.
- Catholics should fear God…not COVID persecutions
Mother Miriam Live
- Ireland to allow public worship for the first time in almost five months
While public religious services may resume on May 10, they have been prohibited since December 26, 2020.
- Head of Scottish bishops issues rare rebuke of Irish gov’t. over ‘unjust’ worship ban
‘Recent developments that penalize the celebration of Holy Mass have been disturbing not only to the Irish bishops’ conference but also to the bishops of Scotland.’
- Judge denies gov’t request to close Canadian church that has defied coronavirus rules
‘We thank God this morning that the judge ruled, at least until May 13th, that the doors would remain open and that there will be no fines issued,’ pastor Henry Hildebrandt said.
- Canadian pastor again orders ‘Nazi Gestapo’ police, health inspectors to leave his church
‘I do not cooperate with Nazis. Talk to my lawyer … You came in your uniforms like thugs. That’s what you are: brownshirts of Adolf Hitler.’
- After loud rebukes from Supreme Court, California Gov. Newsom quietly scraps ban on church singing
Newsom’s coronavirus website now says religious service capacity limits and singing restrictions are ‘strongly recommended,’ not ‘mandatory.’
- SCOTUS says at-home religious services are permitted in California
‘California treats some comparable secular activities more favorably than at-home religious exercise,’ five of the nine Supreme Court Justices pointed out in their majority opinion.
- Pastor who chased cops out of his church: It felt like a ‘flashback’ to life ‘under the boot of the Soviets’
‘Everything kind of came back to life from my childhood (in Poland under communist rule) and the only thing I could do is to fend off the wolves as a shepherd and I used my voice to get rid of them.’
- Pastor: Fellow inmates banged ‘on their doors as a sign of support’ when I left jail
James Coates had been jailed for several weeks after holding worship services amid lockdowns in the Canadian province of Alberta.
- Police interrupt religious service in Canada. Pastor reacts: ‘Nazis, Gestapo is not allowed here’
‘Do you understand English? Get out of this property, go, go and do not come back without a warrant.’
- Over 70 Canadian churches vow to defy lockdowns, will fully open for Easter services
‘We hope the list will grow. We are over 70 churches now.’
- Canadian pastor gives emotional speech in first Sunday back at his church since being jailed
‘I’m immensely grateful, I am immensely thankful to the Lord, to you, I love you and I’ve missed you dearly and I’m excited to be back.’
- Alberta politician: Gov’t made ‘mistake’ in not listing religious practice as ‘essential’ during COVID lockdowns
Religious practice is an ‘essential part of our life and our way of life’
- Scotland’s supreme civil court rules nationwide church closures ‘unconstitutional’
The ruling judge, Lord Peter Braid, said that the government’s reasons for banning private prayer in churches were ‘insufficient to withstand even the lowest degree of scrutiny.’
- Canadian politician sues provincial government over restrictions around outdoor prayer
‘The risk of transmission outdoors is exceedingly low, but the Government’s outdoor restrictions deny Ontarians their Fundamental Freedoms,’ said MPP Roman Baber.
- Jailed Canadian Pastor to officially walk from jail this afternoon after paying $1500 fine as ‘time served’
Coates has been in jail since February 16 for defying local COVID orders in Alberta, after refusing to agree to bail conditions which block his release unless he agrees to not hold church services amid severe lockdowns.
- ‘Nobody is obliged to obey’ decree suppressing individually said Masses at St. Peter’s: Cardinal Müller
‘Nobody can be forced to concelebrate, because the normal form of the holy Mass is one priest is celebrating, representing Christ,’ said Müller.
> Want to read more? Check out the COVID-19 Religious Freedom Archive.
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WATCH: Catholic priest begs faithful for forgiveness for withholding Eucharist during lockdown
‘We failed you by denying you the only Food that could sustain your hope. We abandoned you when we should have been closest to you.’
Police invade legal Good Friday service, dispel worshippers. China? No—ENGLAND
Police stopped a Good Friday Catholic service, threatening worshippers with a fine if they did not immediately leave.
Have church lockdowns uncrowned Christ the King?
One consequence of Christ’s Social Kingship is that, ‘the Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state’ (Pius XI, Quas Primas, 31). But the silence around this teaching has been deafening.
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- Christian pastor who spent time in jail for defying COVID rules has his church doors shut by health authorities
Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary declared after the Alberta government changed its locks: ‘They can take the building but they cannot take the church.’
- Court disregards Charter freedoms in Pastor James Coates trial
‘An appeal of this decision is being considered, based on serious errors in law.’
- Alberta gov’t. uses ‘resistance to government tyranny’ sermon as proof pastor broke court order
An Alberta Health Services lawyer used as evidence against Pastor Pawlowski the sermon he gave about resistance to government tyranny to argue that he had broken a COVID-related court order.
- Catholic bishops showed ‘a lack of faith’ during COVID lockdowns: Author
Phil Lawler’s latest book explores the cowardly COVID responses by the Catholic Church’s shepherds.
- Archdiocese of New York to segregate vaccinated, unvaccinated parishioners
Other dioceses are implementing similar policies that separate churchgoers and restrict individuals from participating in the Mass.
- Missouri parish segregates non-vaccinated in church, bans them from using parish hall
Updated plans now devote the majority of the church seating to those who had not been vaccinated, and those in the non-vaccinated area will not have to leave it in order to receive Holy Communion.
- Pastor Artur Pawlowski, arrested for refusing to shut church, tells all
Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski discusses the persecution against him coming from politicians, the media, police, and vigilantes.
- Priest forced to leave parish after beautifying church, celebrating Mass as normal amid COVID
According to the Archdiocese of St. Louis, beautifying the church was part of a ‘pattern of failing to comply with archdiocesan administrative policies and directives from the Office of the Bishop.’
- Third jailed Canadian pastor to walk free after spending three days in prison
Pastor Tim Stephens was arrested after holding an indoor church service which went against Alberta’s health rules.
- Churchgoers fined nearly $75k for Sunday worship in Nova Scotia
Testing is soaring and so cases are up; Walmart and Costco are packed, but going to church is a punishable offense.
- Ontario judge orders police to lock church doors for ignoring COVID stay-at-home order, pastor fined
The judge said his ruling will set an example across the province about what happens to those who break controversial COVID-19 laws.
- Canadian pastor arrested for holding worship services released on bail
‘I want to thank you guys, you can let them know, your listeners and readers, that I felt supernatural peace over [in jail],’ Pastor Artur Pawlowski told LifeSiteNews.
- Canadian pastor arrested in highway takedown after holding service defying lockdowns
During his arrest, Pawlowski screamed multiple times to police to ‘do it the Nazi style,’ with police then proceeding to drag him across the road to the police car.
- Alberta gov’t. ticketed pastor ‘after he gave the sermon critical of the government’
The judge adjourned the trial to June 7, at which time he will give his decision on the ‘Charter breaches and potential remedy’ for Pastor James Coates, who defied COVID lockdowns.
- Alberta gov’t. brings up ‘risky’ act of singing in church in trial against jailed pastor
When Pastor James Coates took the stand, he noted that his church is ‘commanded to sing’ as a primary means in how his congregation worships.
- Canadian pastor who chased away police, health inspectors served with warrant, could be jailed
Last Saturday’s visit was the second time this month Calgary Police and Alberta Health Services (AHS) officials have come to Pawlowski’s church on an unannounced coronavirus health visit during worship services.
- Canadian pastor says province makes application to ‘lock the doors’ of his church
Ontario’s Attorney General ordered the church to be found in civil contempt for holding a service in violation of the province’s reopening act.
- WATCH: Fr. Altman says bishops showed ‘abundance of cowardice’ in COVID response
‘Shepherds of the Church, bishops of the Church: You better get united, you better start standing up for the faithful. That’s your job.’
- Canadian MP, local politician charged for attending ‘illegal’ Ontario church service
Derek Sloan and Randy Hillier were among more than 400 people at the Aylmer Church of God defying the province’s lockdown.
- Bishop Schneider sends message of encouragement to Irish Catholics locked out of churches
A “Rosary Rally’ campaign outside parish churches is underway ‘every Sunday until Mass returns.’
> Want to read more? Check out the COVID-19 and Limiting Religious Practices Archive.
