There is a fine line in what is just and right the gardai and government are pushing it to its boundary.
A number of people living in Cavan did their best to go to Mass for Palm Sunday only to be met with a large number of gardai who said that they were breaking rules and putting people’s lives at risk.
It’s understood that gardai threatening a number of people with large fines if they didn’t turn back. At least three garda cars circled the Church to stop people from going in on Palm Sunday to worship.
One social media user claims:
“One thing from this story is clear, the gardai have lost massive public support for this disgraceful behaviour.”
A County Cavan Parish Priest has received massive public support for taking a stand against the draconian lockdown restrictions after he got fined €500 for not stopping people coming to Mass in his Church.
People are comparing this good man’s work with that of a Mosque in Dublin which saw hundreds pour out of it after Friday prayers.
People who aren’t even remotely religious have given him their backing and say that hes right and just and that a huge Church is amongst the safest place for people to go as long as it has the usual precaustions in place.
North of the border, Churches are open and functioning for Public worship whilst just a few miles south go the border, church doors are firmly shut to people of Christian Faith. The southern Irish Government imposed draconian closures of all Churches during lockdowns that limit movement of Irish citizens to just 5 kilometres. But some citizens of Ireland are fighting back, according to the AngloCelt.
Fr. P.J. Hughes, a parish Priest in Mullahoran, Co Cavan which is close to the Northern Irish border was fined €500 by Gardai for breaching Covid Lockdown regulations after someone report him to Gardai.
Last November, authorities had issued a “final warning” about breaching covid lockdown regulations. Back then he told the AngloCelt he felt the restrictions were akin to “living in a police state” or harking back to Penal Law times.
“I have continued to say Mass because I feel it is our Constitutional right to practise our religion,” said Fr Hughes.
The priest is adamant he will continue continue leave the church doors open while celebrating Mass, although he does not advertise the times of the masses.
‘I have been reported again and the gardaí have issued a fine because I celebrated Mass with people present. I will exercise my constitutional right even though people are complaining, even though I am not obeying the bishop when I go against his advice,’ he writes.
The Garda Press Office has refused to confirm or deny that a fine has issued to Fr Hughes saying: ‘It is not the policy of An Garda Síochána to comment on named individuals.’
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