Wisconsin priest says threat of $1,000 fine for holding services over 50 people is 'thin excuse to suppress church'

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Congregants and leaders of Catholic churches in Madison, Wis., who said they were threatened with fines for holding in-person services protested at the state Capitol Friday.

They said they were threatened last week with $1,000 fines if they held in-person services with more than 50 people, or exceeded 25 percent capacity, whichever was smaller. But local officials are telling another story.

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“We can say, ‘Enough!’ We don't need to use a pandemic as a thin excuse to suppress church. To put arbitrary rules in place when you go can go to Home Depot, when you can go to the grocery store ... and then you tell the churches it will be the same and then it's not," Father Brian Dulli of St. Patrick Catholic Church said at a protest in front of the Madison City-County Building Friday, calling it a "bait and switch" from city officials.

Dane County officials, however, said they were seeking voluntary compliance under the first phase of the county's reopening plan, the Christian Post reports.

FOX 6 reporter Jason Calvi shared a statement from the Diocese of Madison that said it was led to believe "government watchers" would be present at Pentecost Sunday services to "cite offending churches."

Public Health Madison and Dane County reportedly contacted a number of Catholic parishes to inform them of the order by phone and in-person.

City of Madison Assistant City Attorney Marci Paulsen told NBC 15 the city is treating houses of worship the same as other essential businesses.

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However, the Father Greg Ihm of the Madison Diocese argued churches are not being treated like grocery stores and pharmacies.

"As faithful we have a right to the Sacraments and an obligation to the health and safety of the faithful," Ihm posted to social media. "The Church is taking every precaution for the safety and well fair of the faithful that has been placed on other essential businesses but are not receiving equal treatment."

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Public health officials responded.

"There are no 'government watchers' who will be policing any business or religious entity," Paulsen and public health officials told WMTV Friday. "In the shared spirit of keeping our friends, neighbors, and loved ones well, we ask everyone to identify ways to comply with these orders to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19."