(Michael Haynes) Members of the Australian Catholic hierarchy reportedly stopped a group of priests from issuing a “divisive” public statement protesting the government’s severe COVID-19 restrictions.
Related Essential and Non-essential: Never Again
by Michael Haynes, October 7th, 2021
The “Catholic Priests of Australia” intended to release a statement September 22 in response to “Certain Aspects of the Covid-19 Crisis.” The initiative had gained 75 signatures by the time it was due to be first published, and a website was set to go live at midday September 22.
While noting their duty as priests, to assist the relevant authorities to limit the spread of infection, the clergy noted that “in any crisis a legitimate and proportionate response cannot be at the cost of human rights, which are not conferred by the State but rather bestowed by the Creator, and therefore constitute the inalienable foundation of human dignity.” They presented eleven key points seeking to address the “spiritual emergency” of the COVID-era, and argued against COVID passports, mandatory vaccines and restrictions on the Church’s public worship.
LifeSiteNews had obtained a copy of the statement and was due to report on it as it was released, but at the last moment was told by one of the priests to hold off from doing so, due to pressure from the bishops in Australia, who had told the priests organizing the statement not to release it.
Prior to the release time of the statement, the website had some content and bore a message saying that it was not yet fully live. Now the site simply states “Domain not claimed.”
Most recently, the Super Flumina Babylonis blog reported that the clergy’s statement was abandoned due to pressure from the Catholic hierarchy in the country.
“On the morning of that day, the morning of the earthquake, one of the prime movers among the priests was called by his bishop to a meeting, which call was sufficient to bring the priest’s initiative to a halt. At the meeting, which took place at 2.00 pm, the bishop directed him to abandon the exercise; there was to be no publication. The reason reportedly given was that the Statement ‘would be divisive’. There can be little doubt the bishop concerned was acting for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Earlier, two others of the six priests [organizing the statement] had been instructed by their bishop to withdraw their names.”
LifeSiteNews contacted Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, who serves as the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC), as well as Sydney’s Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, the vice-president of the ACBC. No response was received by time this article was published.
Opposition from the ACBC to the priests’ statement seems plausible, given that Fisher recently asked his own clergy to “please get vaccinated” for COVID-19, while simultaneously noting the “morally compromised” nature of the injections.
‘No human authority may legitimately usurp’ right to medical autonomy
The proposed statement from the priests contained a number of arguments protesting measures taken by the state in light of COVID-19, as the priests used the natural law and the Christian faith to reject mandatory vaccinations, vaccine passports, state surveillance, lockdowns, and impositions on the daily activities of the Church.
Arguing from the “Natural Law” and the “Christian faith,” they protested first against vaccine mandates, which are currently being widely implemented across Australia. “Any person in possession of his intellectual faculties has an inalienable right, within the limits of the moral law, to make individual medical decisions,” read the statement.
About The Author
Michael Haynes is a journalist for LifeSiteNews. He lives in Cheshire, England, and is a graduate of Thomas More College in New Hampshire. Since childhood he has been very involved in pro-life activity and defending the Catholic faith through public campaigns. Michael has authored works on Mariology, Catholic spirituality, and writes on materdolorosa.co.uk. His great love is the Traditional Latin Mass.
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