The Catholic Weekly 13 February 2022

TERRIFIED PARISHIONERS have spoken of the fear they felt as police officers stormed a Catholic Mass in Perth to check if congregants were wearing masks. In what is believed to be the first time a Mass has been stopped by police since Catholics arrived in Australia more than 220 years ago, pa- rishioners were left “shocked and frightened” as the officers marched in, stopped the ser- vice, interrupted the priest and addressed the entire con- gregation midway through his homily. News of the interruption was reported around the world, putting St Bernadette’s, Glendalough, in the spotlight following the raid. One international news outlet proclaimed: “Austral- ia has been home to some of the most horrific overreach of state authority, as exempli- fied by their recent show trial of Novak Djokovic. Now, po- lice in Western Australia have stormed Mass at St. Berna- dette’s, Glendalough”. WA Police have come un- der fire for interrupting the evening mass, with some la- belling it “appalling”. Police raided the Church last week during the 5.45pm evening Mass last Thursday, reportedly in response to tip offs parishioners were not wearing masks. One parishioner posted a photo of police checking con- gregants’ details on Instagram with the caption, “During a Catholic Mass in Perth tonight a policeman allowed him- State of fear Mass in Perth suburban church halted as police check Covid compliance in pews ¾ Adam Wesselinoff and Debbie Cramsie SUNDAY 13 February, 2022 CatholicWeekly The www.catholicweekly.com.au THE CHURCH. ALL OF IT $2 The police’s actionswere ‘more reminiscent of amilitary regime than the freewheeling democracywe’re used to living in’ Liam Bartlett lent.caritas.org.au 1800 024 413 #projectcompassion DONATE NOW ALMOST 95 per cent of re- sponses to a parliamentary survey on religious freedom support legislation to protec- tion against discrimination. The survey, conducted as part of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into the Fed- eral Government’s Religious Discrimination Bill, received 48,107 responses and was overwhelmingly supportive of both the principle of religious freedom and the govern- ment’s package of legislation. 81 per cent of responses approved of the specific legis- lation tabled this week in Par- liament, which has been the subject of intense controversy among media and political commentators. Just shy of 80 per cent agreed that religious schools should be able to require students to practice the faith and values espoused by the school. Only 30 per cent agreed that religious people would be comfortable to ex- press their beliefs in public without some kind of anti-dis- crimination legislation. The survey results were published as part of the CONTINUED PG4 This photograph taken by a mass-attender at St Bernadette’s Parish in Glendalough, Perth, showsWA police inspecting Covid compliance person by person. Clergy and parishioners were shocked by the unannounced intervention and disruption. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Faithful want to see protections for religion self in, strutting up the aisle demanding correct mask be- haviour and checking exemp- tions. When have we seen this behaviour before in history?” The post has since been de- leted. Other shocked Mass goers spoke anonymously due to fear of reprisals of the “fear and uncertainty” as the uni- formed officers with vests made their way through the Church. CONTINUED P2 OUR TEACHERS ARE BURNING OUT! P5 BRING OTHERS TO FAITH: I4GIVE P3 PM Scott Morrison is currently presiding over consideration of a religious discrimination bill. PHOTO: AAP, MICK TSIKAS