Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane has issued an ultimatum written in strong language so that all Catholic priests in his parish will be fully vaccinated by December 15.
According to a letter obtained by an Australian, if a priest does not receive a jab, he must either indicate the cause or face an immediate suspension.
Despite recognizing that vaccination is a “problem of personal choice,” religious leaders have stated that COVID-19-related public health directives, obligations to workplace health and safety laws, and parishioners “Duty of care” exceeds that.
“The priests engaged in parish service must be close to the people. In a pandemic situation, priests engaged in the work of a doubly unvaccinated minister have parish followers. They are at risk. They pose a risk to the faithful people they serve and their families, “Clerridge wrote in a letter.
“A priest who has not been double vaccinated is neglecting the duty of care of his followers.”
The Archdiocese of Brisbane covers a large area across the southeastern corner of Queensland and contains more than 112 parishes.
Those with appropriate medical qualifications could be exempted, but Coleridge said, “Medical contraindications to a single COVID-19 vaccination do not necessarily lead to contraindications to all vaccines.” I warned.
“I do not consider a conscientious objection to vaccination to be a valid exception to the provisions set out here,” he added.
“I fully respect the right to conscience, especially if properly formed in a Catholic understanding. But I also have a conscience. And it’s not just a legal obligation, it’s my conscience. It led to the decision. “
August Zimmermann, Dean of Law at Sheridan College and author of the Common Law Christian Foundation, said it was an “irrational and illogical view” to impose obligations based on the duty of care of parishioners. ..
“People who are not vaccinated are, in theory, at risk of not being jabed. If vaccines are considered an effective means of protecting people, those who take jabs are No one has to worry [of contracting the virus from an unvaccinated person]”He told The Epoch Times.
“Certainly, one of the most important things in the Catholic tradition is the concept of physical independence and the right to life, both of which derive from the values and traditional principles of natural law.” He said.
Zimmermann warned that Coleridge may also face potential liability to clerics who have experienced the side effects of the vaccine.
Approximately 10,000 Australians plan to claim compensation for injuries and loss of income resulting from receiving one of the three approved COVID-19 vaccines.
Beginning September 6, residents have begun registering interest to make claims under the federal government’s faultless COVID-19 vaccine claim scheme.
follow