Orange Church Sues Health Director over Coronavirus Shutdown

By Alfred Branch
Patch
May 15, 2020

https://patch.com/connecticut/orange/orange-church-sues-health-director-over-coronavirus-shutdown

ORANGE, CT — A Catholic church in Orange is suing the town's health director for canceling religious services during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, writes the New Haven Register.

Our Lady of Sorrows Church on Spring Street claims in a federal lawsuit that Dr. Amir Mohammad discriminated against the church by ordering the cancellation of its services. Bridgeport attorney C. Christian Young filed the lawsuit in United States District Court on behalf of the Rev. Bernard Champagne, the church's 87-year-old priest.

The lawsuit argues that Mohammad's March 16 order went beyond Gov. Ned Lamont's order at the time that limited gatherings to 50 or fewer people. (Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments and precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.)

Mohammad's order reads in part:

On March 13, 2020, based on the recommendations of the Orange Department of Health, all the Bethany, Orange, Woodbridge, and Amity schools have been closed.

Older adults and people with underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at higher risk for developing serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

Therefore, all devotional or religious acts such as daily and weekly congregational prayers, and other religious gatherings shall be canceled until further notice.

These steps have been taken as precautionary measures to limit community transmission of Coronavirus pandemic through people contact and large gatherings at these religious buildings located in the town of Orange.

Lamont later issued another order limiting gatherings to five people or fewer, but excluded religious gatherings up to 50 people:

All social and recreational gatherings of more than 5 people are prohibited. Religious, spiritual, and worship gatherings of more than 50 are prohibited. This remains in effect until May 20, unless otherwise modified.

The lawsuit claims Mohammad violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments with the rule, and it seeks a restraining order to have it stopped immediately, according to the Register.