RCC bishop: Coronavirus is used as pretext to persecute Church
Bp. Athanasius Schneider. Photo: skgnews.com
On April 28, the Catholic bishop Athanasius Schneider said in a video interview with John-Henry Westen that the coronavirus is being used as a pretext to persecute the Church, reports Churchmilitant.com.
"These people can go to the stores to buy something, so the same way they can go to the church," said Bp. Athanasius Schneider.
The Catholic bishop believes that “this is discrimination of the religion, evidently, and a kind of implicit persecution of the Church".
Bp. Schneider also spoke out against many bishops' willingness to join the panic and suspend public Masses, with some bishops even banning churches from opening for private prayer.
Schneider said, "Such bishops reacted more like civil bureaucrats than shepherds. In focusing too exclusively on all the hygienic protective measures, they have lost a supernatural vision and have abandoned the primacy of the eternal good of souls."
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that according to Bishop Schneider, priests should observe precautionary measures against the coronavirus but continue to serve masses.
Read also
ROCOR Priest Reflects on Trip to Capitol Hill
Archpriest Victor Boldewskul participated in the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco's Day of Action to raise awareness about the persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Hundreds of Chinese Christians Arrested in Pre-Christmas Crackdown
Hundreds of Chinese Christians face spending Christmas in detention after authorities launched a sweeping pre-holiday crackdown on churches under Beijing’s campaign to control religious life.
Ukraine Adviser: UOC Not Banned, but Offered a 'Choice' of Jurisdictions
A Ukrainian presidential adviser said the UOC is not banned but pressured to choose between joining the OCU, submitting to Constantinople, or remaining unregistered, while dismissing international concerns as propaganda.
Indiana Reports 98% Drop in Abortions Under Stricter Law
Indiana’s latest health report shows a 98% drop in reported abortions under stricter laws, though dozens still occurred under legal exceptions and concerns persist about unreported pill abortions.
Armenian Apostolic Church Pushes Back on Political Encroachment
The Armenian Apostolic Church plans to appeal to international bodies to resist government interference and defend its clergy and sacred relics.
Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful
Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.