The archbishop of Vancouver says B.C. health regulations forcing the closing of church worship is unfair and arbitary..In a series of Twitter posts, Archbishop J. Michael Miller said an unfair burden has been placed on his flock of 475,000 Catholics by the B.C. government..“We all want to protect the health of British Columbians, but that burden should not – must not – fall unjustifiably or unequally on communities of faith. Our Catholic churches, of course, will remain open for prayer, adoration and individual Confession,” Miller said..“The restrictions placed on banning congregations, even limited ones, from attending Holy Mass are, of course, a matter of grave concern to us both as Catholics and as citizens of British Columbia.”.The province banned all religious gatherings Nov. 19 in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus cases. On Tuesday, the province announced a new daily record of 941 cases..“Certainly we must pray that the situation will soon change, so that we can return to Mass with a congregation, even if reduced in number,” Miller said..“No evidence has been forthcoming to help us understand why worship in Catholic churches must be curtailed from its current status so as not to put a strain on our health-care system, a system that certainly needs to be protected for the common good.”. POLL: Many Albertans say they will ignore Christmas COVID lockdown .Miller said it was puzzling the church had to close for worshippers but were still, fortunately, allowed to offer AA meetings in the basement..“As I mentioned in the letter written last Thursday: “From today’s order it seems that religious institutions are not being treated with the same consideration regarding the number present at religious gatherings compared to that at secular indoor gatherings,” he said..“The reason why gathering for worship in limited numbers where all safety precautions are met is not allowed, while bars and restaurants and gyms can remain open with measures that are no more safe, is simply baffling..“That is why the new provincial health order is hard to understand, and why I hope that a further explanation from the provincial government – now that there has been time for further reflection – will be forthcoming..“To limit the religious freedom of believers to worship is a very serious matter, since such freedom is specifically protected in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”.B.C. has seen 28,348 COVID-19 cases resulting in 358 deaths..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
