Archbishop Cordileone explains why Catholics must resist the unjust repression of our right to worship on 'FOX & Friends.'
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Pete for months, Americans have
PETE for months. Americans have
been forced to find new ways to
pray, as churches across the
country remain under strict
Covid D 19 restrictions. Our next
guest says this is a violation
of our most basic religious
freedom and its condemning San
Francisco leaders in a new op Ed
Entitled, Americans right to
worship is being denied by
government.
I wont be silent anymore.
The archbishop of San Francisco
Salvadore
Joseph Cardeleone, joins me now,
archbishop. Thank you. So much for
being here explain your
peace and why youre speaking
out now?
First of all, I want to say
that we want to make sure that
when we return to worship, we do
so in a safe way and weve shown
that we can do that. Recent study
that examined one million masses
celebrated over a period of fourteen
weeks. There was not one
infection traceable to the
attendance at the church
service when certain safety
protocols were observed, so we
can do it safely.
Other types of activities that
are similar are maybe even more
dangerous, are allowed to go on
while were not allowed to
worship, and the government
really has no authority to tell
us whether or not we can
worship
think Ehave no authority to tell
us whether or not were
essential.
They have no authority to tell
us what forms of worship are
essential and which are not.
They have the authority to tell
us what we need to do to keep
people safe when we worship, but
those are restrictions, cant be
so severe as to effectively ban
worship and thats whats been
going on here in San Francisco.
It is a fundamental right.
Religious freedom is a
fundamental right, its
protected by the first amendment
of the constitution, its not
given by the first amendment,
its protected by the first
amendment.
Other activities that are not
constitutionally protected are
allowed to go on so were
asking that the city to allow us
to exercise our right to worship
without any sort of impediment.
There is a movement going on
right now, a petition drive to
ask the city to do this for us
that people can go online to
sign at freedomask dot com to give
the signal. This is a right that
needs to be respected in a way
that is responsible with
reasonable safety precautions
that we have developed,
PETE yeah, its the double
standard thats existed, which
points out that it feels like it
is a targeting of people of
faith and effectively deeming it
not essential. As you pointed out,
you dont need that right now,
thats at least, if its not said
its unsaid
it absolutely targeting and
people need connection to their
faith and their faith
communities, and we know the
problems going on with
mental health and can increase
depression, spike and suicide
overdose and domestic violence
and spiritual health is a
concern because people are more
and more isolated and people of
faith need to be connected with
their faith community and with
the exercise of their faith here
in San Francisco. The latest
health order allows only one
person inside a church at a time
to pray and all kinds of other
activities are allowed to go on.
But what does one person inside
of a church to pray,
PETE ive been inside of plenty
of catholic churches and
cathedrals theyre large
theres lots of room people
dont have to sit right next to
each other, usually whats the
rationale, one person.
Nobody has given me a
rationale: they are discriminat
ing against us.
This is clearly targeted against
us.
They arent issuing this kind of
they claim that it applies
to political buildings. But what
does political buildings mean
a campaign office? Perhaps
political activity doesnt have
their own places of assembly
like faith communities do with
the house of worships.
I sense our people are really
getting fed up and I sense more
and more of an in patience in
this kind of growing, throw the
buns out kind of mentality,
PETE Archbishop. Thank you. So
much for stepping up writing.
Transcript generated on 2020-09-20.