Sydney archbishop decries ‘double standard’ in 10-person church limit

Sydney’s Catholic Archbishop has said people of faith are being treated “unequally” to those wanting a drink at a pub amid local coronavirus pandemic restrictions. The archdiocese has urged worshippers to sign a petition calling on the state government of New South Wales (NSW) to allow more than 10 people at a time to attend church. Of all the Australian states and territories, New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital, has been hardest hit by the coronavirus. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. From Monday, up to 50 people will be allowed to gather at pubs, clubs and restaurants. “Contrary to what has been said throughout this pandemic, we do not consider church attendance to be non-essential; indeed, nothing is more essential than the practice of our faith,” the online petition on the church’s websites says. “Why are 50 people allowed to dine in a restaurant, but only 10 people are allowed to attend Mass, even though our churches are often much larger in size?” Australia has recorded 7,139 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 103 Covid-19-related fatalities. The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, said he was seeing “so many double standards being applied to people of faith.” “We aren’t asking for special treatment, we are asking for equal treatment... Currently, the bus that stops outside my cathedral can have more people inside it than my cathedral can. “It simply doesn’t make sense,” Fisher said in a statement yesterday.