Response from Dr. Arruda to the Table de concertation interreligieuse du Québec Measures relating to places of worship
BY E-MAIL
Quebec, January 15, 2021
Monsignor Pierre Murray
General secretary
Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec
3331 Sherbrooke Street East
Montreal (Quebec) H1W 1C5
Quebec, January 15, 2021
Monsignor Pierre Murray
General secretary
Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec
3331 Sherbrooke Street East
Montreal (Quebec) H1W 1C5
My lord,
This follows the meeting of the Table de concertation interreligieuse du Québec in
January 10. First and foremost, rest assured that we have been very sensitive to your
concerns regarding the needs of your communities to find comfort in the
pray. We have also been touched by the pain felt by your followers in connection
with the difficult situation that COVID-19 has been imposing on all of us for several months now.
However, rest assured that these restrictions are not imposed out of heart. They
have only one goal, namely to counter the spread of the virus. We begin the 11 th month
pandemic and we have a collective duty to do everything to stop this scourge.
That being said, we made a commitment, as a first step, to look at what could
be agreed in terms of relaxation with regard to additional measures
announced by the Prime Minister on January 6, and, secondly, at
specify any other measures in force relating to places of worship.
You are aware that all the measures announced by the political authorities
are enshrined in decrees or ministerial orders. This is why I am willing to
propose to the government to modify the provisions of decree 2-2021 of January 8, 2021
to allow a maximum of 10 people to assemble in places of worship
in order to hold activities specific to the planned rites. This modification would not
effective only after a favorable government decision. The work continues
for this purpose. It is, however, understood that they cannot be in force before
January 22, 2021 if the government follows through.
This follows the meeting of the Table de concertation interreligieuse du Québec in
January 10. First and foremost, rest assured that we have been very sensitive to your
concerns regarding the needs of your communities to find comfort in the
pray. We have also been touched by the pain felt by your followers in connection
with the difficult situation that COVID-19 has been imposing on all of us for several months now.
However, rest assured that these restrictions are not imposed out of heart. They
have only one goal, namely to counter the spread of the virus. We begin the 11 th month
pandemic and we have a collective duty to do everything to stop this scourge.
That being said, we made a commitment, as a first step, to look at what could
be agreed in terms of relaxation with regard to additional measures
announced by the Prime Minister on January 6, and, secondly, at
specify any other measures in force relating to places of worship.
You are aware that all the measures announced by the political authorities
are enshrined in decrees or ministerial orders. This is why I am willing to
propose to the government to modify the provisions of decree 2-2021 of January 8, 2021
to allow a maximum of 10 people to assemble in places of worship
in order to hold activities specific to the planned rites. This modification would not
effective only after a favorable government decision. The work continues
for this purpose. It is, however, understood that they cannot be in force before
January 22, 2021 if the government follows through.
However, this relaxation will be accompanied by strict rules of conduct, namely:
• That the leaders of the different communities show an example
rigorous and encourage their faithful to respect the sanitary measures in force,
such as physical distancing of 2 m, hand washing at the entrance and at the
leaving the place of worship and wearing a face cover;
• Singing cannot be allowed since it has been shown that this constitutes a
practice at risk of virus transmission;
• The attendance register remains obligatory for each place of worship, for
facilitate the work of public health responders in the event of an outbreak in order to
reach any contacts as quickly as possible;
• Places of worship cannot be used as refuges. The accommodation centers planned for
to this end are safe places in terms of health, thus limiting the risk of
spread of the virus. However, if a person needs to talk to each other
with a representative of the cult to find support or comfort, it will be allowed
to do it inside the place of worship, outside the usual rites.
Moreover, although sensitive to the preservation of the freedom of worship, as well as the well-being
psychological and moral practitioners, we have no other choice than
to impose the recent measures put in place, both to relieve our health system
which is in critical condition and to increase our chances of breaking the second
wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as we committed to it,
allow me to provide some details on the measures related to places of worship and
more widely the practice of religion. Thus, despite the recommendation mentioned above
high in order to allow the attendance of places of worship by a maximum of
10 people, the situations below must be taken into account:
• Funeral : An exception is provided for funerals. In these only
situations, a maximum of 25 people, excluding company workers from
funeral services and volunteers in or outside the place of worship,
is allowed. It is also compulsory to keep an attendance register. Any
food and no alcohol may be served (Decree 1020-2020 of
September 30). Sympathies can be received in the place of worship before
funeral, but always respecting the maximum limit of 25 people. Finally, he
it is forbidden for other people to gather in another room located
under the same roof as the place of worship.
• Weddings : Weddings are currently prohibited in places of worship. Only the
weddings planned in courthouses are permitted
• That the leaders of the different communities show an example
rigorous and encourage their faithful to respect the sanitary measures in force,
such as physical distancing of 2 m, hand washing at the entrance and at the
leaving the place of worship and wearing a face cover;
• Singing cannot be allowed since it has been shown that this constitutes a
practice at risk of virus transmission;
• The attendance register remains obligatory for each place of worship, for
facilitate the work of public health responders in the event of an outbreak in order to
reach any contacts as quickly as possible;
• Places of worship cannot be used as refuges. The accommodation centers planned for
to this end are safe places in terms of health, thus limiting the risk of
spread of the virus. However, if a person needs to talk to each other
with a representative of the cult to find support or comfort, it will be allowed
to do it inside the place of worship, outside the usual rites.
Moreover, although sensitive to the preservation of the freedom of worship, as well as the well-being
psychological and moral practitioners, we have no other choice than
to impose the recent measures put in place, both to relieve our health system
which is in critical condition and to increase our chances of breaking the second
wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as we committed to it,
allow me to provide some details on the measures related to places of worship and
more widely the practice of religion. Thus, despite the recommendation mentioned above
high in order to allow the attendance of places of worship by a maximum of
10 people, the situations below must be taken into account:
• Funeral : An exception is provided for funerals. In these only
situations, a maximum of 25 people, excluding company workers from
funeral services and volunteers in or outside the place of worship,
is allowed. It is also compulsory to keep an attendance register. Any
food and no alcohol may be served (Decree 1020-2020 of
September 30). Sympathies can be received in the place of worship before
funeral, but always respecting the maximum limit of 25 people. Finally, he
it is forbidden for other people to gather in another room located
under the same roof as the place of worship.
• Weddings : Weddings are currently prohibited in places of worship. Only the
weddings planned in courthouses are permitted
Private gatherings inside or outside: In a private residence
or what takes its place (including the adjacent land) only the occupants may
find (Decree 1020-2020 of September 30). An exception is, however, provided
(under the curfew) to allow, in addition to the occupants, the presence of a
religious person in a residence in order to accompany a person at the end of life,
and this at any time of the day or night.
• Activities organized in a public place : Pursuant to Decree 1020-2020 of
September 30, 2020, it remains forbidden to gather the faithful outside (park,
or others) for the holding of offices.
• Capture : It is currently possible or even encouraged. The public does
may, however, not attend an indoor audiovisual production or shoot
or to an interior capture (Decree 1020-2020 of September 30) . The rules of
applicable safety (Committee on Standards, Equity and Health and Safety at
work) must be rigorously implemented for the technical team
as well as by the “celebrants / animators”. The number of people present for
capture must be limited to the strict minimum required, preferably less than
10 people. However, compliance with the curfew must be ensured (like the
broadcast can be delayed).
The measures presented above are linked to the epidemiological situation that prevailed
at the beginning of the year and which led to the imposition of the curfew on January 8. If, and
only if the epidemiological situation improves, it will become possible to release the
control measures at the end of the curfew period. In this regard, we
We have of course heard your request that places of worship be considered among the
first places to be released from these measures. In return, if, in the next
weeks, the epidemiological situation was to deteriorate, you will understand that we
may be required to review these measures.
We hope that this relaxation and clarification will allow people
practitioners to be supported in their spirituality and to exercise their religion while
contributing to the collective effort to win our war against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please accept Monsignor, the expression of our best feelings.
The national director of public health
and Assistant Deputy Minister,
Horacio Arruda, MD, FRCPC
N / Ref. : 21-SP-00071
or what takes its place (including the adjacent land) only the occupants may
find (Decree 1020-2020 of September 30). An exception is, however, provided
(under the curfew) to allow, in addition to the occupants, the presence of a
religious person in a residence in order to accompany a person at the end of life,
and this at any time of the day or night.
• Activities organized in a public place : Pursuant to Decree 1020-2020 of
September 30, 2020, it remains forbidden to gather the faithful outside (park,
or others) for the holding of offices.
• Capture : It is currently possible or even encouraged. The public does
may, however, not attend an indoor audiovisual production or shoot
or to an interior capture (Decree 1020-2020 of September 30) . The rules of
applicable safety (Committee on Standards, Equity and Health and Safety at
work) must be rigorously implemented for the technical team
as well as by the “celebrants / animators”. The number of people present for
capture must be limited to the strict minimum required, preferably less than
10 people. However, compliance with the curfew must be ensured (like the
broadcast can be delayed).
The measures presented above are linked to the epidemiological situation that prevailed
at the beginning of the year and which led to the imposition of the curfew on January 8. If, and
only if the epidemiological situation improves, it will become possible to release the
control measures at the end of the curfew period. In this regard, we
We have of course heard your request that places of worship be considered among the
first places to be released from these measures. In return, if, in the next
weeks, the epidemiological situation was to deteriorate, you will understand that we
may be required to review these measures.
We hope that this relaxation and clarification will allow people
practitioners to be supported in their spirituality and to exercise their religion while
contributing to the collective effort to win our war against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please accept Monsignor, the expression of our best feelings.
The national director of public health
and Assistant Deputy Minister,
Horacio Arruda, MD, FRCPC
N / Ref. : 21-SP-00071
