Cardinal Collins - open our churches for public worship and do it now!

It is long past time for all of us to call upon Toronto's Archbishop, Thomas Cardinal Collins, to defy the government diktats of the Province of Ontario and open the churches now for public worship to thirty percent. Now, let's be specific. The Government of Ontario and its Premier Douglas Ford did not close churches, not this time. They ridiculously limited attendance to ten, which in reality, when one includes the priest, would be eight or nine at the most. But you know, "it's just not worth it." The Cardinal has reacted to the inane limit of ten and the view of those around him of the worth of it and eliminated public Mass altogether. He has said that churches may remain open for private prayer at the discretion of the pastor. I know pastors that are doing this and are hearing confession, some in cars or driveways of their flock. Others, specifically in my neighborhood, are shut tight to keep the China Virus away. 

Disgraceful. Not even in Poland did the communists shut down the churches, but in Toronto in 2020? Well, our spineless episcopal hirelings have done it themselves. Marx will be smiling from Hell. 

There is no significant evidence or scientific data of any kind that the China Virus has been transmitted in churches. Maybe a few here and there, that's it. Data shows that only one-percent of China Virus infections have come from restaurants, it must be even less from churches where we all face the same direction, or Tina's Department Store on Royal York Road in old Mimico. They have no web page, no ability to see their fine Italian wares and other merchandise. I never remember them not being there, fifty maybe sixty years! The closures are irrational. Yesterday, we witnessed Ontario's two top doctors (see below https://voxcantor.blogspot.com/2020/12/breaking-news-cardinal-thomas-collins.html having a little laugh at Tina's expense or Mr. Giovenco's shoes a few stores away. These stores could easily limit to one or two customers at a time. This argument now is the same all across Canada and the United States. We all know it, but nobody is listening.

They say, "follow the science." What science? This is a hoax on all of us. Not the virus, the virus real, the response is insane. The virus is real, I have never disputed that. It is almost one year to the day that I was struck with the most vicious in my life. I should know soon on the results of my participation in a massive study of Canadians for antibodies. I believe that I had the China Virus. But never would I expect that because I had it, or whatever it was, that Tina should have her business closed down or you couldn't attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Wash your hands, wear a mask inside in close quarters, stay away from sick people, take your vitamins.

We will know by Friday whether the lawsuit brought about by evangelical pastor Peter Youngren has been successful. If it is, and all he is asking is a restoration to the thirty percent capacity limit, will Cardinal Collins restore the public Mass or will he still act as a puppet on the string of those who have subsidized the diocese and buy tables to the Cardinal's Dinner?

Father Richard Gennaro Cipolla has a necessary read on Rorate Caeli blog. The dangers to souls and to the future of the Church and the conclusions he draws for America are identical here. I have said and written the same thing, many people have found something better to do on Sunday morning and many others think that they are at Mass when watching on a computer or television screen. These people will not return. Others are angry and will not return. But we are not alone as Roman Catholics in this - even the local Orthodox edifice in my neighbourhood has on its outdoor sign, "Church closed until further notice." Even them. 

Yet, through all of this, there is one Catholic Church in Toronto, Peel and York Regions that soldiers on. Daily Mass with no more than ten, massive bookings for Confession and Holy Communion. A little church on a residential street formerly owned by Baptists and under the direction of the Society of St. Pius X. 

I hear from priests daily on what I am writing. They urge me to keep going, not to stop. I tell none of them of the other and I assure you, there are many. I ask for their prayers, that is all. I can tell you, they are working. They are hearing confessions, some from cars, they are providing the sacraments and doing what they can under the restrictions imposed by the Cardinal. Not all are cowering in their rectories, but many are. If your priest is not available to you I can't even guarantee that an email to archbishop@archtoronto.org northern.region@archtoronto.org eastern.region@archtoronto.org bishop.boissonneau@rogers.com or even to the spox, Neil MacCarthy neilm@archtoronto.org, will change anything, but I urge you to try.

The other day a priest told me what I already suspected, that the post-China virus Church in Toronto is facing devastation. How sad that the last year of Cardinal Collins' tenure in Toronto will be one of desolation caused by his own decisions. He speaks often of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher. How eloquent he was at Our Lady in Guelph upon receiving the red hat and returning to his boyhood parish where he served the Mass - "ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam." He did it at the Oratory when ordaining deacons a few weeks ago just before he shut it down. So much talk of More and Fisher.

Maybe he should act like them instead of just talking about them.