On Thursday, the New Zealand Health Ministry told our Catholic Bishops that the swine flu restrictions were no longer necessary, despite the fact that we are still on Code Yellow.
Had I not checked NZ Catholic's website, I would have had no idea that the restrictions were lifted, as their lifting didn't make quite the same impact in the news as the initial restrictions themselves. And no, I don't really check the NZ Catholic website particularly often, nor do I keep track of the Bishop's media releases, as they hardly ever make them.
No mention at all that one of the restrictions is illegal by Church law as I documented in a previous post.
While I am happy that the restrictions have been lifted, I am concerned that a precedent has been set that no one has challenged. Therefore, this sort of thing could happen again with the slightest of pretexts.
A letter to the Vatican might be in order.
Related Link: NZ bishops lift swine flu restrictions ~ NZ Catholic
Had I not checked NZ Catholic's website, I would have had no idea that the restrictions were lifted, as their lifting didn't make quite the same impact in the news as the initial restrictions themselves. And no, I don't really check the NZ Catholic website particularly often, nor do I keep track of the Bishop's media releases, as they hardly ever make them.
No mention at all that one of the restrictions is illegal by Church law as I documented in a previous post.
While I am happy that the restrictions have been lifted, I am concerned that a precedent has been set that no one has challenged. Therefore, this sort of thing could happen again with the slightest of pretexts.
A letter to the Vatican might be in order.
Related Link: NZ bishops lift swine flu restrictions ~ NZ Catholic