Theologian Analyzes Morality of Cancelled Public Mass

A theologian analyzes the morality of the cancellation of public Masses and the closure of churches by the State — superb Thomistic treatment Some excerpts from this excellent article

For nearly two months now the Catholic faithful have been deprived of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, of Holy Communion, and for many, even of Confession, many priests refusing this ministry. This time has been one of great suffering for all. The unexpectedness of the situation found us all wondering what to do, and those in positions of leadership had to make some very tough and very quick decisions.... Another consideration is that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, access remained for “essential” activities, such as going to purchase food. However, it seems obvious that the danger of contamination exists much more in the supermarket than in our churches. And yet, public Masses were banned, even though the rules of social-distancing put into place in “essential” activities could have easily been maintained. I feel that the conclusion easily drawn from this – not intended, certainly, but nevertheless easily arrived at – is that the bishops themselves considered the attendance at Mass, even on Sundays, to be non-essential. One can get food for the body, but not food for the soul. What can this mean if not that the former is more important than the latter? Unless of course one considers that food for the soul is sufficiently provided for by personal prayer, in which case the sacramental economy of an incarnate religion is put in parentheses, to say the least.... It is undeniable that civil authorities, in order to protect the lives of citizens, can ban access to certain edifices for grave, objective, demonstrable reasons, such as dangerous conditions of the building which could injure people, serious proven infection of the place, or for a brief time if it has been the scene of a crime or an alarm. However, if the state were to mandate closing of churches in general without the above conditions, it is clearly usurping a right it does not have for the following reasons: 1. The faithful have a right to access their churches and their sacraments. This right is based on the fundamental right of religious freedom. 2. The bishops and priests have a divine right and duty to preach the faith and make available the means of salvation, principally the sacraments, which they cannot withhold without very grave reasons to do so. (If there can be “new ways of ministering to the people”, these can only add to, never replace, the sacramental economy given to us by Jesus Christ). 3. No authority on earth can deprive the bishops of that fundamental right and duty. 4. Civil authorities therefore cannot inhibit the practice of the faith which includes having access to churches. Consequently, whatever reason might be given by the state for the closure of churches, we are dealing, de facto, with a violation of religious freedom, even if this is denied by the said authorities and even if there is an apparent reason for their closure, the reason being that the Church answers directly to God. Should closure be required in the gravest circumstances (such as the plague under St Charles Borromeo), this must be decided by the Bishops, not by the state. I am of the mind that, except in the aforesaid exceptional circumstances, no government may order Catholic bishops to close the Catholic Churches, for they have a direct mandate from Jesus Christ to serve the spiritual needs of the faithful, which needs always take precedence over physical ones.