All cases

Government Proposed to Ban Pro-Life Campaigns In Front Of Abortion Hospitals

June 15, 2020, Ireland

In Ireland, the Government proposed creating "free access zones", where pro-life campaigners would not be allowed to stand in front of Hospitals and Abortion centers. Pro Life Campaigner Eilis Mulroy criticises the intended introduction of censorship zones. He claims that these exclusion zones go against freedom of speech and peaceful protests. Also, the Pro-Life movement criticizes the absence of meaningful support or interest in providing other alternatives to abortion in the draft Program for the Government.

Draft Law on Homophobia and Transphobia Could Criminalize Biblical Teaching

June 10, 2020, Italy

The Italian Bishops are speaking against a new legislation proposed against "homotransphobia" by Zan-Scalfarotto, as it could criminalize the Church's teaching on homosexuality and censor the preaching against other sexual pathologies. The Bishops argue that there are already laws that protect every human being from discrimination and violence. The law could lead to "criminalization of opinion".

Report Shows Increase in Violence Against Christian Believers in Spain

June 8, 2020, Spain

The Observatory of Religious Freedom (OLRC) based in Spain, reported a decrease in the attacks towards fundamental rights and an increase in violence against Catholic believers and places of worship (mostly Christian), on June 8th. According to Maria Garcia, President of the OLRC, 80% of the attacks have been directed against Christians. The report also shows political parties like "Podemos", the left party and the PSOE party as clear opposers of religious freedom involved in acts against Christians. The most affected cities are Madrid, Andalucia and Cataluña.

Covid-19 Regulations Did Not Allow Church Services Compared to Other Services

May 11, 2020, France

The Christian Democratic Party has filed an appeal with the Council of State to obtain permission to hold services before the end of May. Jean Frédéric Poisson requested the infringement of the fundamental freedom of worship. Small businesses, such as hairdressing salons, were given permission to operate, while religious services were not. He also asked for the re-establishment of worship services in the low-risk departments.

The Brotherhoods of Cordoba Denounced Unfair Treatment by The Police in a Mass

May 10, 2020, Spain

After a Mass was held on Sunday 10th May in the Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza. The police reported five parishioners who assisted the Mass. The Association of Brotherhoods of Córdoba have expressed their support to the Brotherhood and the organizer of the mass. The Brotherhood denounced an unfair treatment, given that the Mass was legally allowed and the requisites were met.

Parish Priest Fined for Celebrating Mass with Thirty People inside Church

May 10, 2020, Spain

On May 10th, municipal police fined the rector of Lloret for saying Mass with about thirty people inside the church. The priest, Martirià Brugada, however, defended his actions and, in fact, finished the Mass with the parishioners outside the church and the windows open.

Mayor Decided to Close the Church and Forbids Entry

May 5, 2020, France

On Sunday 5th April,in the church of Saint-Martin in Menetou Ratel an anti-Catholic incident occurred. A family who wished to enter the church for meditation and prayer was forbidden the entry, as the mayor decided to close the church until further notice .

The Parliament of Andalucía Wants to Prohibit the communion in The Masses

April 27, 2020, Spain

In the end of April, the Parliament of Andalusia presented a proposal to the Government of Spain to resume the Holy Masses during the Pandemic. However, the proposal calls for the prevention of giving of communion and the Holy Water stoups. On the other side, the Catholic Church has already been developing strategies to resume the Holy Masses and distribute communion safely, which is the true meaning of the Mass.

Closure of Churches During COVID Lockdown but not Museums and Shops

April 27, 2020, Italy

the Government imposed a Stop for Holy Masses, but allows shops and museums to prevail. Bishops and believers all around Italy showed disagreement and expressed their hurt feelings.

Three Armed Policemen Burst Into a Parisian church to Stop a Mass

April 22, 2020, France

Bishop Aupetit strongly denounced the incident, recalling that the law prohibits "police officers from entering a church with weapons".

Several Acts of Thefts and Vandalism of Churches across Austria

April 20, 2020, Austria

Several acts of thefts and vandalism of churches have occurred across Austria

Armed Policemen Burst Into a Parisian Church And Stop a Mass

April 19, 2020, France

On Sunday 19th April, three armed policemen burst into the church and ordered the priest to stop the mass.The parish priest of Saint-Andre-de-l'Europe was celebrating a Holy Mass with an Online broadcast for his parishioners in confinement. Inside the Church there were seven people, all involved in the celebration. The parish priests recall that the police is not allowed to enter a church with weapons, according to the law. The police can only intervene in a sanctuary at the request of the parish priest or in case of an emergency. One of the parishioners was also a policeman, who talked to the officers. It seems that a neighbour had alerted the police.

The Police Ordered the Closure of the Church and the end to Perpetual Adoration

April 19, 2020, Spain

On the 19th April, the police ordered the closure of the Church and the end of worship in the parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Sabadell. There were only one or two people present during each adoration, which did not go against the Covid-19 regulations. The bishops started doing arrangements for a reopening of the church.

Desecration of a Church in Mümling-Grümbach

April 18, 2020, Germany

On 18th April, "Echo Online" reported that the protestant church in Mümling-Grumbach closed its doors after the discovery of a desecration and vandalism.

The Government Prohibits the Procession of the Santa Faz to Bless the City.

April 17, 2020, Spain

The Subdelegation of the Government prohibited on the 17th April the Procession of the Santa Faz relic to bless the city, which would have taken place on the 23rd April. The reason was that the act was not covered by the regulations on the state of alarm for the Covid-19 pandemic. The mayor and priests proposed alternatives for celebrating the procession without danger of contagion. However, the Council has not approved it. In other historical pandemics, the celebration had taken place.

Religious Freedom Observatory Denounces Cancellation of Masses

April 13, 2020, Spain

The president of the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience (OLRC) sent a letter to the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, asking for "explanations" and showing her "discomfort" about the suspension of Masses in the course of their celebration that has taken place in different parts of Spain during Lent and Holy Week.

Police Suspended an Open-Air Mass Without the Participation of the Faithful

April 12, 2020, Spain

On the 12th of April, the police suspended a Mass being celebrated on the parish courtyard of San Jenaro de Madrid. Although the Mass was being held without the participation of the faithful, it was interrupted by the police and the priests had to be identified. The Madrid City Council stated that the parish had installed without authorization a megaphone outside the building, which had raised "complaints from neighbors".

The Police Evacuated a Holy Mass in San Fernando de Henares

April 12, 2020, Spain

On Easter Sunday, the Police evacuated the parish of San Isidoro in Valencia, were nine people and the priest were gathered. They also interrupted the prayer of the Rosary in an act of Eucharistic adoration. The temple had space for 700 people, so the ten people could sit with plenty of space between them, using masks and gloves. The police allowed them to finish the Mass and warned them that if they did not suspend the church services and activities from now on, they would be sanctioned.

Police Cancelled Rooftop Palm Sunday Mass

April 6, 2020, Spain

On Palm Sunday morning, the local police interrupted a Mass celebrated on a rooftop by the priest of the Church of the Paúls in Triana. The members of the community had improvised an altar and lectern. The priest used a speaker to reach the nearest residential blocks. While some residents informed the police saying the rules were being violated, other citizens were angry at the officers for interrupting the Mass. The priests said there were only eight of them on the rooftop, and they all lived in the same house. There was a confrontation between the neighbors supporting the Mass and the ones against it.

Priest Fined and Arrested For Processioning a Crucifix Alone

April 6, 2020, Italy

On April 6, a the Priest Father Domenico Cirigliano was fined and arrested for 14 days by the police, as he was carrying the miraculous Crucifix from the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Rocca Imperiale. He was doing a personal procession through the streets, keeping enough distance from other individuals and his assistant. The Father had told the parishioners he would bless the city in this form of reduced procession. The police reported the act as public departure, not motivated by employment, need or health reasons and had made a demonstration or religious act affecting the streets. In other cities the processions were allowed by the civil authorities.