Somerville mayor defies Baker, Trump by capping attendance at houses of worship

Somerville is ordering all places of worship to limit attendance to 10 congregants, defying both Gov. Charlie Baker’s and President Trump’s coronavirus reopening directives.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts, churches, synagogues, mosques and others can fill up to 40% capacity.

But Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is capping attendance at 10 “until further notice,” his spokeswoman told the Herald Wednesday.

“We all need to appreciate the higher degree of difficulty of reopening in a compact urban environment,” Curtatone tweeted about the city’s rules.

That news is not sitting well with faith-based groups.

“The mayor is targeting churches and that raises a range of legal issues,” said Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute. “Governing authorities should trust the clergy to do what’s best for their congregation.”

As part of the state’s Phase 1 coronavirus reopening blueprint, Baker is allowing places of worship to resume in-person services. And Trump on Friday deemed churches and other religious sanctuaries “essential” and pushed governors to allow them to reopen.

“These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united. The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue, go to their mosque,” Trump said.

The Archdiocese of Boston has put out a how-to to help keep parishioners safe while welcoming back 40% of the congregation.

Curtatone did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment, but his spokeswoman did saying Somerville is “the most densely populated city in New England within the most densely populated region in the nation,” so officials are taking extra precautions.

She added the city has also “slowed down” salons and barber shops, which won’t be able to open until “early June,” as a city announcement states.

The news has hit the faith community hard, with Beckwith saying pastors and other religious leaders are upset.

“It’s disheartening,” said Adam Dupre, faith formation director at Somerville’s St. Catherine of Genoa Church.

“We can safely social distance,” he added, saying the parish is part of a three-church compact that includes St. Ann’s and St. Joseph’s. Dupre said he “understands the mayor’s predicament,” but he added the church has been given “good guidelines from the archdiocese.”

Peter Borre, a canonical law expert and founder of Boston’s Council of Parishes, called Somerville’s edict a “tangled situation with no easy answers.” He said the coronavirus pandemic may allow Curtatone to stay out of the courts on this one.

Beckwith, however, isn’t so sure.

“What is the mayor’s authority?” he said. “It appears local authorities aren’t supposed to do this.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2TLRQ0R