PRESS RELEASE - Table interreligieuse de concertation du Quebec
PRESS RELEASEFor immediate release
FAITH COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER UNCONDITIONAL ACCESS Montreal, February 7, 2022 – After too many weeks of closure, the
Table interreligieuse de concertation du Québec, (the Quebec Interreligious Roundtable) rejoices at the reopening of places of worship in Quebec, authorized as of February 7. Many of its members however, express a deep unease about the imposition of the vaccination passport at the entrance of these essential places, whose mission implies unconditional welcome.
In an effort to sensitize government authorities to the importance of the rapid reopening of places of worship, members of the Interreligious Roundtable discussed with national and regional administrators of Public Health, members of the National Assembly, and representatives of major political parties. On each occasion, it was stressed that the unqualified requirement of the vaccination passport represent a significant issue for many faith communities, even if some accept it as a temporary compromise for the common good.
The Roundtable would like to see this requirement lifted as soon as possible for all places of worship and religious gatherings be governed by rules akin to those applicable for community support and assistance groups, for which no proof of vaccination is required. An acceptable temporary compromise would be to reinstate the regulations that were in effect until mid-December 2021, which conferred the faith communities the
choice to require the vaccination passport or not. Each option implied a distinct number of people would be allowed in the place of worship.
Access to places of worship is usually managed by volunteers motivated by their faith and care for others. Since the beginning of the pandemic, these volunteers explain and uphold the sanitary protocols established in accordance with Public Health (wearing of masks, social distancing, hand washing, etc.) It is largely due to these individuals that places of worship are not sites of outbreaks. Many of them however, find it inconceivable that they would be legally contrived to refuse access to a place of prayer, meditation, and communion to whoever would not have a valid vaccination passport.
Members of the Roundtable also note that the issue of the vaccination passport deeply divides certain faith communities. It therefore invites all communities and all believers to exert patience and solidarity with one another in these trying times.
Source : Table interreligieuse de concertation du Québec
M. Louis Bourque,
l.bourque@aebeq.qc.ca, 514-961-5052
Iman Hassan Guillet,
hassan_guillet@hotmail.com, 514-699-7257
Mgr Pierre Murray, C.S.S.,
pmurray@evequescatholiques.quebec 514-914-0553
La Table interreligieuse de concertation du Québec is composed of representatives of many Christian churches, different Jewish traditions, different mosques and the Canadian Center of Ecumenism.
