Sacred Heart Church: Churches left out of Victoria’s easing COVID-19 restrictions
A Wodonga priest says he cannot understand the continued ban on indoor services while pubs and restaurants get the go ahead to host up to 40 people indoors. But he has a cunning plan to take a stand against the government’s “confusing” restrictions.
Albury Wodonga
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A Wodonga priest wants to take a stand against the State Government’s “unfair” COVID-19 restrictions and host his Sunday mass in a local restaurant.
Sacred Heart Church parish priest Father Jun Jun Amaya said the restrictions on church services were unfair and confusing, given pubs and restaurants could host up to 40 people indoors.
“Are we being set aside intentionally or are they not really thinking about us?” he said.
“It’s disappointing … I’m grappling to understand why restaurants are allowed people, who would be inside longer than at a church service.
“Also people can wear their masks all the time in church but they can’t in the restaurants.
“Some churches are bigger than a lot of restaurants.
“I might organise to book out a restaurant, we can stay there for two hours, and have the first half an hour as the service and the rest of the time they can eat.”
Churches in regional Victoria can currently have 20 people for outside services.
“We’re still having the masses outside our church here in Wodonga, but the challenge for us is the weather,” Fr Jun Jun said.
“People have to book in during the week but we don’t know what will happen on the weekend.”
Fr Jun Jun said a lot of parishioners lived alone and relied on church services to get out of the house.
“Coming to church and catching up with people they know is a good way to boost their mental and spiritual well being,” he said.
“So I can’t imagine how this is affecting them.
“Christmas is coming up and I can’t imagine if we can’t have some kind of Christmas celebration.”
Contact Cassandra at cassandra.glover@news.com.au
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