In an unusual move, the Corrections Department has banned Catholic Priests from entering prisons for the purposes of holding a mass.
"Catholic Priests have been permitted to visit prisons for many years. Recently, we decided to revoke this right. Basically, the law says that only relatives and legal representatives may visit prisoners, and we realised that the Priest communicating with prisoners was a serious loophole that we have moved quickly to correct."
Craig Ranapia was quick to offer a solution: "Lawyers can simply pop in and hold a mass. Now, lawyers may not seem like priests, but in special circumstances, I believe lawyers can act as substitute priests, which should be adequate for this purpose."
Unfortunately however, this is not the case. Fake Priests can only be used when it is an issue on the health of a priest. Should the priest be on the way to mass, and is struck by a car and seriously injured, or develop a life-threatening allergy to prison blocks, it would technically be possible to substitute a fake priest.
It seems some people believe that Religions should not be exempt from the law. "If a priest can get in to visit prisoners, when other complete strangers are not permitted, one has to wonder how far this will go" said Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor. "Although there are many instances of laws that have exceptions, such as the bringing of wine for the purposes of communion, into a prison, we don't think we should be making an exception over such a trivial issue. As for the wine thing - we plan on repealing that as well. Can't have 50 ml of wine sneaking into a prison. We actually believe this is the reason so much contraband makes its way in to the prisons. By coming down hard on priests, the inmates will know we are serious."
"I don't think God will be offended, because I would have been struck down by lightening by now" said Mr O'Connor.
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"Catholic Priests have been permitted to visit prisons for many years. Recently, we decided to revoke this right. Basically, the law says that only relatives and legal representatives may visit prisoners, and we realised that the Priest communicating with prisoners was a serious loophole that we have moved quickly to correct."
Craig Ranapia was quick to offer a solution: "Lawyers can simply pop in and hold a mass. Now, lawyers may not seem like priests, but in special circumstances, I believe lawyers can act as substitute priests, which should be adequate for this purpose."
Unfortunately however, this is not the case. Fake Priests can only be used when it is an issue on the health of a priest. Should the priest be on the way to mass, and is struck by a car and seriously injured, or develop a life-threatening allergy to prison blocks, it would technically be possible to substitute a fake priest.
It seems some people believe that Religions should not be exempt from the law. "If a priest can get in to visit prisoners, when other complete strangers are not permitted, one has to wonder how far this will go" said Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor. "Although there are many instances of laws that have exceptions, such as the bringing of wine for the purposes of communion, into a prison, we don't think we should be making an exception over such a trivial issue. As for the wine thing - we plan on repealing that as well. Can't have 50 ml of wine sneaking into a prison. We actually believe this is the reason so much contraband makes its way in to the prisons. By coming down hard on priests, the inmates will know we are serious."
"I don't think God will be offended, because I would have been struck down by lightening by now" said Mr O'Connor.
Related Link: Communion Wine banned from prisons
Related Link: Freedom of Religion imprisoned by PC Bureaucracy
Related Link: Mustum available in certain circumstances, but not this one