York Region (for my American readers, these were formerly known as Counties) is now under the lockdown diktat of Ontario Politburo General-secretary Douglas Ford effective Monday at 12:00 A.M. York joins Toronto and Peel Region in the imposed lockdown. As with many places in the United States of America, Walmart and Costco remain open but the Main Street dress shop or shoe store remain closed. Home Depot can sell a stove or washer but Bad Boy and The Hudson's Bay Company, cannot. It is illogical. What is also illogical is that the population centres are the three cities in the south Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham as well Newmarket and Aurora with the rest of York being bucolic countryside, rural farms and villages. Why wipe out what is left of Schomberg (including the Latin Mass) or the hamlet of Snowball?
To his credit, last evening Cardinal Thomas Collins issued a letter wherein he states:
"It is increasingly frustrating for all of us to see certain businesses open while others remain closed and that some, including places of worship, appear to be severely restricted with little evidence to suggest they are a cause of transmission. Earlier this week, I communicated these concerns directly to Premier Ford."
At the same time, His Eminence again goes beyond Ford's inane reduction of church capacity to ten by eliminating public worship in these regions. The Cardinal reiterates that over 13,000 Canadians have died of SARS-CoV-2 which originated in Wuhan, China. The Cardinal states that he recognizes the "significant spiritual suffering that these restrictions have placed both upon our clergy and the faithful that look to us for guidance and direction." He continues that he hopes we will "soon be able fully (sic) to resume public worship." He also states that "we have demonstrated our ability to safely worship together."
Again, this writer reiterates the same as before, there is no reason to close the public celebration of Mass. Abide by the provincial diktat and protest it. It is worth the challenge of limiting the congregation and at the same time, take the province to court.
The Cardinal has again advised that churches remain open for public prayer at the pastor's discretion. Obviously, this is happening, right?
Toronto Catholics, are your churches open?
Are you able to receive the Sacraments privately?
Advise me at voxcantoris@rogers.com if your pastor is not accessible and we will report it directly to the chancery and here.
Do you even care?
