The United States Navy has revised its policy prohibiting active service members from attending in-person religious services. Those who disobeyed and attended church services had risked court-martial….
On June 24, the Navy issued an order banning troops from attending indoor religious services, although other activities such as using mass transit, hosting social gatherings of any size, and participation in protests were all permitted.
The order specifically stated that “service members are prohibited from visiting, patronizing, or engaging in … indoor religious services.”
The Navy has now walked back the order, which religious liberty advocates said was a most egregious overstepping of military personnels’ freedom to worship.
A memo from Acting Undersecretary of the Navy Gregory Slavonic sent to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Chief of Naval Operations offered new guidance concerning the order stating that nothing contained in previous instructions “should be construed to restrict attendance at places of worship where attendees are able to appropriately apply COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures, specifically social distancing and use of face covering.”
“I am directing you … to inform Commanders to incorporate this clarification allowing attendance at religious services where COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures may be appropriately applied,” added Slavonic….
The above comes from a July 9 LifeSiteNews story.
So the Archbishop did have the Chief of Naval Operations in a corner.
God bless Archbishop Broglio and the Archdiocese for the Military Services! When bishops stand up against unreasonable government constraints, usually bureaucrats and elected officials back down.
Surprise surpise! Guess who is the commander in chief.
This is the same Navy that wouldn’t allow the commander to keep safe his crew against COVID. Removed him from duty they did.
Idiots.
I guess I would be more worried about this whole dust-up if there was a novel virus spreading across the country at warp speed, raising the infection rate by scores of thousands every day, filling the hospital ICU beds to capacity, and showing signs of increasing death rates. Since that isn’t happening on a grand scale, I’m sure the administration is doing the right thing, following the AB’s suggestion for letting the sailors go to church on shore, and then locking them in a tin can for a month or two while at sea. Not a problem! If the virus does, at some time, decide to spread to new victims, the Navy might consider reviewing its regulations with the safety of our Armed Forces in mind. Just saying!