Joseph Curtatone Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts has decided to continue to limit the number of people in houses of worship amid the coronavirus pandemic, despite orders from both Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and US President Donald Trump, according to the Boston Herald.
While synagogues, mosques, churches and other places of worship can fill up to 40%, Curtatone is limiting the number of attendants to 10 people, upsetting the public.
“We all need to appreciate the higher degree of difficulty of reopening in a compact urban environment,” the City of Summerville tweeted, quoting Curtatone.
The mayor did not make any other comment, but his spokeswoman responded saying that Somerville is "the most densely populated city in New England within the most densely populated region in the nation,” and officials are taking extra precautions.City announces schedule for phased reopening. "We all need to appreciate the higher degree of difficulty of reopening in a compact urban environment." - Mayor @JoeCurtatone.https://t.co/GrGuiuRxyN pic.twitter.com/uVk2dOidWr
— City of Somerville (@SomervilleCity) May 21, 2020
The city's religious population hasn't taken the news lightly.
“The mayor is targeting churches and that raises a range of legal issues,” said Andrew Beckwith, President of the Massachusetts Family Institute. “Governing authorities should trust the clergy to do what’s best for their congregation.”
“It’s disheartening,” said Adam Dupre, faith formation director at Somerville’s St. Catherine of Genoa Church.
“We can safely social distance,” he added, saying the parish is part of a three-church compact that includes St. Ann’s and St. Joseph’s. Dupre said he “understands the mayor’s predicament,” but he added the church has been given “good guidelines from the archdiocese.”
As part of Phase 1 of reopening Massachusetts, Baker is allowing places of worship to resume in-person activities, the Boston Tribune reported.
On May 22 Trump deemed houses of worship essential, but in the same briefing, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany underscored that reopening was at the discretion of governors and religious leaders, according to CNN.