{"id":46881,"date":"2021-05-20T10:09:59","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/?p=46881"},"modified":"2021-05-20T10:09:59","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:09:59","slug":"minnesota-bishop-wants-to-require-vaccine-for-communion-givers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/minnesota-bishop-wants-to-require-vaccine-for-communion-givers\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Bishop Wants To Require Vaccine For Communion-Givers"},"content":{"rendered":"

O<\/span><\/i>ffice <\/span><\/i>of <\/span><\/i>the <\/span><\/i>Bishop\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Diocese <\/span><\/i>of <\/span><\/i>Saint <\/span><\/i>Clou<\/span><\/i>d <\/span><\/i>214 <\/span>3RD <\/span>AVENUE <\/span>SOUTH <\/span>– <\/span>BOX <\/span>1248 <\/span>ST<\/span>. <\/span>CLOUD<\/span>, <\/span>MINNESOTA <\/span>563<\/span>02 <\/span>T<\/span>E<\/span>LEPHONE <\/span>(<\/span>320<\/span>) <\/span>2<\/span>51<\/span>–<\/span>234<\/span>0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

FAX <\/span>(<\/span>32<\/span>0<\/span>) <\/span>2<\/span>58<\/span>–<\/span>761<\/span>8\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Faith <\/span>Hope <\/span>Love <\/span>V\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

May <\/span>19<\/span>, <\/span>2021\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear <\/span>pastor<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As <\/span>I <\/span>noted <\/span>in <\/span>my <\/span>letter <\/span>to <\/span>you <\/span>last <\/span>Friday<\/span>, <\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>working <\/span>with <\/span>my <\/span>advisors <\/span>on <\/span>separate <\/b>protocols specific <\/span>to <\/span>camps<\/span>, <\/span>overnight <\/span>gatherings<\/span>, <\/span>Castaway <\/span>retreats<\/span>, <\/span>TEC<\/span>, <\/span>Koinonia <\/span>and <\/span>similar <\/span>events<\/span>. <\/span>These <\/span>programs <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>diocese <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>in <\/span>which <\/span>groups <\/span>of <\/span>people <\/span>gather <\/span>for <\/span>longer <\/span>periods <\/span>of <\/span>time <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>offer <\/span>important <\/span>spiritual <\/span>formation <\/span>to <\/span>youth <\/span>and <\/span>adults <\/span>alike<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>I <\/span>want <\/span>to <\/span>ensure <\/span>they <\/span>are conducted <\/span>as <\/span>safely <\/span>as <\/span>possible <\/span>as <\/span>we <\/span>continue <\/span>to make <\/span>strides <\/span>against <\/span>the <\/span>pandemic<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaccinations <\/span>are <\/span>the <\/span>best <\/span>approach <\/span>for <\/span>making <\/span>continued <\/span>progress <\/span>against <\/span>the <\/span>virus <\/span>and <\/span>keeping <\/span>people <\/span>as <\/span>safe <\/span>as <\/span>possible <\/span>from <\/span>its <\/span>effects<\/span>. <\/span>Scientists and <\/span>official <\/span>health <\/span>authorities <\/span>have <\/b>assured <\/b>us <\/b>t<\/b>hat <\/span>the <\/span>current <\/span>COVID<\/span>–<\/span>19 <\/span>vacc<\/span>ines are <\/b>safe <\/b>and <\/b>eff<\/b>ective<\/span>. <\/span>Pope <\/span>Francis <\/span>has <\/span>stated <\/span>that <\/span>receiving <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>these <\/span>vaccines <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>only <\/span>permissible <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>Catholic <\/span>moral <\/span>teaching <\/span>but <\/span>also <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>Gospel <\/span>duty <\/span>to <\/span>protect <\/span>life <\/span>and <\/span>care <\/span>for <\/span>our <\/span>ne<\/span>i<\/span>ghbors<\/span>. <\/span>I <\/span>agree <\/span>with <\/span>what <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Father <\/span>said <\/span>earlier <\/span>this <\/span>year<\/span>: <\/span>“<\/span>I <\/span>think <\/span>everyone <\/span>must <\/span>take <\/span>the <\/span>vaccine<\/span>; <\/span>it<\/span>‘<\/span>s <\/span>the <\/span>ethical option <\/span>because <\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>playing <\/span>with <\/span>your <\/span>health<\/span>, <\/span>(<\/span>your<\/span>) <\/span>life<\/span>, <\/span>but <\/span>you <\/span>also <\/span>are <\/span>playing <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>lives <\/span>of <\/span>others<\/span>.<\/span>”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I <\/span>am <\/span>allowing <\/span>the <\/span>programs noted <\/span>above <\/span>to <\/span>restart <\/span>in <\/span>their <\/span>pre<\/span>–<\/span>pandemic <\/span>forms <\/span>without <\/span>face <\/span>coverings <\/span>or <\/span>physical<\/span>–<\/span>distancing<\/span>, <\/span>but <\/span>I <\/span>am <\/span>requiring <\/span>all <\/span>staff<\/span>, <\/span>volunteers <\/span>and <\/span>participants <\/span>attending <\/span>these <\/span>programs <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>fu<\/span>lly <\/span>v<\/span>a<\/span>ccin<\/span>ated <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>condition <\/span>of <\/span>pa<\/span>rtici<\/span>pation<\/span>. <\/span>A <\/span>person <\/span>is <\/span>considered <\/span>“<\/span>fully <\/span>vaccinated<\/span>\u201d <\/span>two <\/span>weeks <\/span>after <\/span>receiving their <\/span>final <\/span>required <\/span>dose <\/span>of <\/span>CO<\/span>V<\/span><\/i>ID<\/span>–<\/span>19 <\/span>vaccine<\/span>. <\/span>Proof <\/span>of <\/span>vaccination <\/span>is <\/span>required<\/span>. <\/span>Those <\/span>who <\/span>are <\/span>not yet <\/span>eligible <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>vaccinated<\/span>, <\/span>and <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>choose <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>vaccinated<\/span>, <\/span>cannot <\/span>attend these optional <\/span>programs <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>diocese <\/span>until <\/span>further <\/span>notice<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

| <\/span>also <\/span>want <\/span>to <\/span>revisit <\/span>a <\/span>few <\/span>items <\/span>related to liturgy<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n