Catholic church in call for removal of one-size-fits-all cap on worshipper numbers
The Catholic church is calling on the Scottish Government to remove the cap on numbers of worshippers and instead treat religious buildings 'more like retail'.
The first minister last week said that places of worship would be reopened "when it is safe to do so" in line with restricted numbers guidance in place previously.
The Catholic Bishops of Scotland have now issued a statement welcoming the move and calling for a removal of the cap, which limits the number of people who can attend.
Instead, the bishops argue that congregation size should be calculated in accordance with the size of each church, a system similar to that used in the retail sector, which it says still allows for social distancing.
The Bishops said: "As Scotland’s Catholic Bishops, we welcome the recent announcement by the first minister foreseeing a return to our churches for the most important celebration of the liturgical year at Easter.
"The Catholic community recognises the seriousness of the pandemic and is committed to working with others to avoid the spreading of infection.
"At the same time, we anticipate ongoing dialogue with the Scottish Government regarding the requirement of a numerical 'cap' on the number of worshippers.
"As we continue to observe social distancing and the protocols on infection control and hygiene formulated by the Bishops’ conference working group under the leadership of the former Chief Medical Officer Sir Harry Burns, we maintain that it would be more appropriate for each church building to accommodate a congregation in proportion to its size rather than on the basis of an imposed number."