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The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic five years ago this week, on March 11, 2020.
Every diocese in the U.S. curtailed public Masses in some way during the ensuing lockdowns, many in response to state or local laws. Secular authorities varied widely in their treatment of houses of worship during the pandemic, with some imposing harsher rules on churches than on other entities deemed “essential.”
Legal protections afforded to churches have evolved considerably since the start of the pandemic, however. Many states have since passed explicit protections for houses of worship, ensuring either that they will not be forced to shutter again amid a future health emergency — or, at the least, that they will not be treated more harshly than other “essential services” allowed to remain open.
CNA compiled data on which states now protect houses of worship as “essential” and which do not. Peruse the map below and see where your state falls.
Continued below.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Every diocese in the U.S. curtailed public Masses in some way during the ensuing lockdowns, many in response to state or local laws. Secular authorities varied widely in their treatment of houses of worship during the pandemic, with some imposing harsher rules on churches than on other entities deemed “essential.”
Legal protections afforded to churches have evolved considerably since the start of the pandemic, however. Many states have since passed explicit protections for houses of worship, ensuring either that they will not be forced to shutter again amid a future health emergency — or, at the least, that they will not be treated more harshly than other “essential services” allowed to remain open.
CNA compiled data on which states now protect houses of worship as “essential” and which do not. Peruse the map below and see where your state falls.
Continued below.
Which states protect churches from closure, 5 years after COVID lockdowns?
There is now legal precedent at the federal level suggesting that states may never shut down worship entirely again.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
