The Catholic Union has called on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry not to overlook the impact of the pandemic on people of faith, especially around the closure of places of worship.
Writing to the Inquiry Chair, Baroness Hallett, the Catholic Union has called for church closures to be “properly considered” as part of the Inquiry, including with a dedicated evidence session with faith leaders.
The intervention comes on the fourth anniversary of the first UK-wide lockdown at the start of the pandemic in which places of worship across the country were forced to close.
A Catholic Union survey last year found that 91 percent of responders thought that places of worship should be classed as “essential services” in any future pandemic and never again be forced to close. 61 percent of people said that their physical or mental health had suffered as a result of churches being closed during Covid.
The Catholic Union has shared the results of the survey with Baroness Hallett in full and has offered to brief the Inquiry team and give evidence as part of the on-going public hearings.
Catholic Union President, Baroness Hollins, described the survey results as “shocking” and said that “it’s clear from these results that places of worship should never be forced to close again.”
In the letter to Baroness Hallett, Catholic Union states that “While many people endured hardships during the pandemic, there was a deep sense that decision makers did not fully understand the importance of churches to people of faith and were too slow in allowing them to reopen.”
Public hearings at the Inquiry are expected to last into 2026 with the Inquiry making a report and recommendations to the Government after that.
President of the Catholic Union, Baroness Hollins, comments: “It is vital that the Covid Inquiry properly considers the decisions to close and reopen churches during the pandemic. There is a very strong sense that faith and faith communities were pushed to one side when decisions were made, and this needs to be addressed in the learning from the Inquiry. It’s clear from the results of the Catholic Union’s survey that places of worship should never be forced to close again.”
Catholic Union Director, Nigel Parker, comments: “Many of us have memories from Easter 2020 when we watched services on our laptops and phones. Thankfully those days seem like a distant memory, and we will gather in churches again this year to celebrate this great feast. But our response to the pandemic is something that needs careful scrutiny, especially to learn lessons from the future. With so many groups and individuals having their say as part of the Covid Inquiry, it is only right that the voices of Catholics are also heard.
Nigel continues: “Our members and supporters sent a clear message in our survey last year about the importance of churches and the impact of their closure on people’s lives. We are working hard to make sure these views are heard by policy makers and politicians, so that places of worship are never again forced to close. Please consider supporting the Catholic Union to help us continue this vital work.”
Read our full letter to the Inquiry Chair, Baroness Hallett, below.