Premier Doug Ford today announced the day we have long awaited: this coming Friday June 12, 2020 commencing at 12:01 a.m., churches across Ontario will be able to open. The Premier's full Statement can be viewed here.
Catholics joyously await this coming Friday, so that we will once again be able to re-enter our churches.
In his decree today, the Premier announced that churches in the Greater Toronto Area can re-open on Friday, even though the same area is still said to be within "Stage One" of the Ontario SARS-CoV2 reopening Plan.
Some readers will be aware that the Premier graciously changed the Emergency decree several weeks ago, permitting outdoor religious services after he was contacted by those who still believe in Our Lord's Divinity. We need to be thankful that we do not have an anti-Christian as our highest elected Official.
The ONLY two Catholic parishes that signed the Petition at "Re-Open Ontario Churches" were the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of St. Elias the Prophet in Brampton, and St. Anthony's of Oakville (Polish). Very interesting. They were joined by a number of Eastern Orthodox churches, even a Synagogue. But NO other Catholic churches. That tells me all I need to know. Well, as the Archdiocese of Toronto so "eloquently" articulated the other week: they are in "no rush" to re-open. Well, the Premier gave the green light, lets see what happens.
Friends: you know what to do. Keep YOUR wallets and purses firmly SHUT. If you have pastors who still take the Faith seriously like those from St. Elias and St. Anthony, by all means support them! You MUST support them. But be careful. Be very careful as to whom you give your money to.
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More information can be found here. The Archdiocese will be posting their full plan publicly later in the week.
https://www.archtoronto.org/media-centre/news-archive/chancery-news/Statement-from-Cardinal-Collins-regarding-Re-opening-Places-Worship
In the words of one of my mentors: "move right along"!
The Church in Canada is dying from within. The fact that there was no push during the pandemic to re-open the churches from our leaders tells you everything you need to know. And may of the parishes have such a poor Internet presence which indicates there is no priority to evangelize and put the faith in the public square.
Thank-you Everyday for Life, Canada. My point in the title and text was composed well understanding that if they reopen on Friday I would be shocked. I was speaking with several Polish ladies who told me that churches remained open in Poland during the War, inly closed if shuttered by Nazi forces. The churches in Warsaw were open during the heavy bombing in September of 1939. That was a time when people took their Faith seriously and really believed.
It is very important to constantly update oneself and follow the evidence. If the evidence changes, then we must change with it.
On their website, dated June 1, 2020, the CDC confirms that viral contamination is not "thought to be the main way the virus spreads". We know that in March and April it was believed that SARS-CoV2 remained a viable pathogen on fomite surfaces. The evidence now strongly suggests that it is most easily transmitted via droplets or aerosol in close contact. Close contact is defined as a closed environment longer than two hours, or direct contact with a SARS-CoV2 positive case.
Nonetheless, the Archdiocese has had more than enough time to implement a plan for "deep cleaning" every church (though the virus cannot survive on surfaces for two and a half months), and providing details regarding spacing, entrance and exit from churches etc. When certain stores were informed by Premier Ford on May 6 they can reopen on May 9th, what happened? Lo and behold, the stores were ready, and roaring to go. On May 9th they reopened.
That is why the Premier made the announcement so early in the week, to allow churches the maximum time to reopen. I dare say the local SSPX chapel will be open on Friday. I also dare say the hundreds of churches who actually took the time to contact the Premier will be reopening.
So let us see: will they even reopen for private prayer this Friday?
This virus did one good thing: it exposed the Church of the Accompaniment as in reality the Church of the Abandonment.
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