As 2020 hurtles towards a potentially bleak Christmas, Christians across Europe are asking for a more coherent approach to the secular provision of their religious services.
In France for example, there is now a ban on public religious services such as Mass, but only after months of allowing groups such as the Grey Wolves to continue to roam the streets of Lyon whilst allowing other things such as French professional football to continue.
In many European cities, events such as Black Lives Matter protests were allowed to take place (even encouraged) as individuals remained banned from Mass and even from attending funerals. In Ireland, this went even further as the country’s leader was spotted drinking with friends while being scantily clad alongside 80 members of the establishment arranging a heavy drinking session in Galway, contravening lockdown rules.
With Christmas approaching and attacks on churches rapidly increasing across Europe, Christians are now feeling emboldened enough to start being more assertive.
One such event occurred in Paris last night, at the historic church of St. Sulpice. Large crowds of Catholics gathered to pray the Rosary, to sing hymns and to speak on behalf of reasons as to why the Mass should be restored. The French Republic unfortunately have retained control over French churches, though they are doing a terrible job of keeping them safe, such as the arson attack at Notre Dame in Paris last year and the many terror attacks on churches like Nice. St. Sulpice church itself was set on fire only last year.
There are, however, reports tonight that police are preparing to oppose the Catholics if they they pray outside the churches tomorrow.
Let’s see them try.