The government has finally updated the restrictions to grant our communities the equitable reopening we requested. This outcome reflects the persistence of every person who spoke up for the necessity of communal worship. We will now turn our attention to ensuring these measures remain consistent as our places of faith …
October 19, 2020
Final supporters
Dear Premier Daniel Andrews,
We, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that the ‘Roadmap for Reopening' be amended so that people of faith and places of worship are treated equitably and fairly.
The 2016 national census indicates that approximately 60% of Victorians identify as religious. For people of faith, the ability to practise our beliefs – including through public worship – is essential to our wellbeing. As it stands, the ‘Roadmap’ suggests that our wellbeing has not been given due consideration.
We are particularly concerned about the inequitable treatment of people of faith under ‘Step 3’ of your ‘Roadmap’. For example, ‘Step 3’ permits cafes and restaurants to seat up to 20 people indoors and 50 people outdoors yet restricts religious communities to outdoor gatherings of only 10 people and indoor private worship limited to 'household bubbles'.
There is no logical reason for this discrepancy. People of faith are able to attend a service in a place of worship whilst wearing a face mask; physical distancing is not a challenge in what are often very large venues; services are time-limited and rigorous infection-control measures are able to be implemented. A place of worship can and should be accessible in a COVID-safe way.
Religious organisations should be afforded the same opportunity to open for indoor worship with density quotients equivalent to those seen in other parts of the community such as hospitality. We were afforded the opportunity as we emerged from the first lockdown; we deserve to be afforded the same opportunity again as we emerge from the second lockdown.
Premier Andrews, we, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that you adjust the ‘Roadmap for Reopening’ in a way that secures the equitable treatment of religious communities and grants us the opportunity to practise our faith in a COVID-safe manner.
Signed,
People of all faiths, Victoria
Updates
Reached 10,000 supporters
October 12, 2020
October 9, 2020
The stories shared in the comments reflect a profound need for communal connection that goes beyond just a physical gathering. These accounts are being compiled to ensure that the unique requirements of our faith communities are understood clearly by those responsible for current policy decisions.
October 9, 2020
The steady growth of this petition shows how many of us value the dignity of our communal worship. Reaching ten thousand signatures will provide a clear signal to the Premier that our concerns are shared by a significant portion of the public. If you can take a moment to direct a few others to this page today we will ensure our request is impossible to ignore.
Reached 1,000 supporters
September 30, 2020
Reached 100 supporters
September 29, 2020
September 28, 2020
Reaching our first thousand signatures will provide the necessary weight to prove that the current restrictions overlook a vital segment of Victorian life. Please consider sending this link to someone who values the freedom of public worship so we can present a unified position to the Premier.
3,938 Comments
I respectfully ask Premier Andrews to treat with fairness Victoria's People of Faith in regard to their being given the ability to meet - responsibly - and in line with some other comparable allowances already made in other aspects of the community.
I feel this time church communities have been overlooked. Yes we can experience our faith beliefs online but the most important part of faith is to be able to worship together in encouragement for one another. As a community we have been disconnected.
Churches should re-open. A significant proportion of our society rely on religion for their mental health and spirituality which is important to them. My mum hasn’t been to church for almost 6 months. Churches were even open during the Spanish flu.
As I passed my closed Parish Church Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton on my way to sit and have coffee at my local Cafe which is 4 times smaller, I contemplated the total discrimination that people of faith are suffering under current regional Covid rules
We need to celebrate the sacraments and be able to receive our Lord Jesus and the sacraments. Our community needs to gather for Baptisms, weddings and funerals. Our elderly are finding it so hard and struggle with technology to tune into Home mass.
ICXCNIKA
Please open churches up and respect Catholic people we have done the right thing and will continue to do so have some leniency. Thank you
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The government has finally updated the restrictions to grant our communities the equitable reopening we requested. This outcome reflects the persistence of every person who spoke up for the necessity of communal worship. We will now turn our attention to ensuring these measures remain consistent as our places of faith …
October 19, 2020
Final supporters
Dear Premier Daniel Andrews,
We, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that the ‘Roadmap for Reopening' be amended so that people of faith and places of worship are treated equitably and fairly.
The 2016 national census indicates that approximately 60% of Victorians identify as religious. For people of faith, the ability to practise our beliefs – including through public worship – is essential to our wellbeing. As it stands, the ‘Roadmap’ suggests that our wellbeing has not been given due consideration.
We are particularly concerned about the inequitable treatment of people of faith under ‘Step 3’ of your ‘Roadmap’. For example, ‘Step 3’ permits cafes and restaurants to seat up to 20 people indoors and 50 people outdoors yet restricts religious communities to outdoor gatherings of only 10 people and indoor private worship limited to 'household bubbles'.
There is no logical reason for this discrepancy. People of faith are able to attend a service in a place of worship whilst wearing a face mask; physical distancing is not a challenge in what are often very large venues; services are time-limited and rigorous infection-control measures are able to be implemented. A place of worship can and should be accessible in a COVID-safe way.
Religious organisations should be afforded the same opportunity to open for indoor worship with density quotients equivalent to those seen in other parts of the community such as hospitality. We were afforded the opportunity as we emerged from the first lockdown; we deserve to be afforded the same opportunity again as we emerge from the second lockdown.
Premier Andrews, we, people of Victoria’s faith community, request that you adjust the ‘Roadmap for Reopening’ in a way that secures the equitable treatment of religious communities and grants us the opportunity to practise our faith in a COVID-safe manner.
Signed,
People of all faiths, Victoria
Updates
Reached 10,000 supporters
October 12, 2020
October 9, 2020
The stories shared in the comments reflect a profound need for communal connection that goes beyond just a physical gathering. These accounts are being compiled to ensure that the unique requirements of our faith communities are understood clearly by those responsible for current policy decisions.
October 9, 2020
The steady growth of this petition shows how many of us value the dignity of our communal worship. Reaching ten thousand signatures will provide a clear signal to the Premier that our concerns are shared by a significant portion of the public. If you can take a moment to direct a few others to this page today we will ensure our request is impossible to ignore.
Reached 1,000 supporters
September 30, 2020
Reached 100 supporters
September 29, 2020
September 28, 2020
Reaching our first thousand signatures will provide the necessary weight to prove that the current restrictions overlook a vital segment of Victorian life. Please consider sending this link to someone who values the freedom of public worship so we can present a unified position to the Premier.
3,938 Comments
We need to allow people to attend Church services inside our Churches. It is not appropriate to be conducting Mass for 5 people at a time out in the elements, when people are going to the beach or take away coffee shops and lining up by the dozens.
I respectfully ask Premier Andrews to treat with fairness Victoria's People of Faith in regard to their being given the ability to meet - responsibly - and in line with some other comparable allowances already made in other aspects of the community.
I feel this time church communities have been overlooked. Yes we can experience our faith beliefs online but the most important part of faith is to be able to worship together in encouragement for one another. As a community we have been disconnected.
Churches should re-open. A significant proportion of our society rely on religion for their mental health and spirituality which is important to them. My mum hasn’t been to church for almost 6 months. Churches were even open during the Spanish flu.
As I passed my closed Parish Church Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton on my way to sit and have coffee at my local Cafe which is 4 times smaller, I contemplated the total discrimination that people of faith are suffering under current regional Covid rules
We need to celebrate the sacraments and be able to receive our Lord Jesus and the sacraments. Our community needs to gather for Baptisms, weddings and funerals. Our elderly are finding it so hard and struggle with technology to tune into Home mass.
ICXCNIKA
Please open churches up and respect Catholic people we have done the right thing and will continue to do so have some leniency. Thank you
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We need to allow people to attend Church services inside our Churches. It is not appropriate to be conducting Mass for 5 people at a time out in the elements, when people are going to the beach or take away coffee shops and lining up by the dozens.