Archdiocese of Chicago requires vaccines, denies religious exemptions: Employees and clergy have six weeks to get the shot, and they'll still have an opportunity to request a medical exemption.

AUG. 24 UPDATE: The archdiocese's vaccination policy will take effect Oct. 4, giving unvaccinated employees six weeks—instead of the original five weeks—from FDA approval to get their shots. "We are providing an extra week to allow more time for individuals to plan and schedule their vaccinations," an archdiocese said in a memo yesterday.

The Archdiocese of Chicago this week announced all employees and clergy will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19. While people will have an opportunity to request a medical exemption, religious objections will not be considered.

The archdiocese and its agencies, including Catholic Charities and Misericordia, join a growing list of organizations requiring COVID shots for most workers and patrons as the delta variant surges.

“We have made this decision convinced that this is the best way to stop the spread of this deadly illness,” Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said in a Thursday email to clergy and staff. “Following the lead of Pope Francis, we encourage everyone to be vaccinated as an act of charity. … Religious exemptions to vaccination cannot be supported by Catholic teaching and I have instructed our pastors not to grant them.”

More than 90 percent of its more than 15,000 employees already have been vaccinated, the email says. The policy, which does not apply to volunteers, is set to take effect six weeks after the FDA approves any of the three COVID shots. The vaccines currently are authorized under emergency use.

Unvaccinated people will be required to get tested weekly and wear masks in Archdiocese facilities at all times, according to the policy. Additionally, unvaccinated people may be prohibited from entering the facilities, or unable to use certain amenities, like lunchrooms. An Archdiocese representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The policy comes from the Archdiocese of Chicago’s COVID-19 Task Force, which has been praised by Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady for implementing measures last year that enabled schools to reopen safely.

In a separate email to clergy and staff today, the Archdiocese outlined a new, temporary policy to address paid time off for vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.

While vaccinated employees who test positive for COVID-19 will get 10 additional sick days to cover quarantine requirements, unvaccinated people who are unable to work remotely must use their accrued sick, personal or vacation time.

The Diocese of Joliet, which includes DuPage and Will counties, said in an emailed statement that it does not plan on requiring employees or students in its Catholic schools to receive COVID-19 vaccines, but encourages them to do so if they are able. The diocese says it has over 2,700 employees.

"The Diocese of Joliet echoes the message of Pope Francis’ recent public service advertisement in encouraging all who are able to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” Mary Massingale, the diocese's director of communications, said in the statement.

The Diocese of Rockford, whose 11 counties include Kane and McHenry, also is not requiring that employees be vaccinated. The diocese is, however, highly encouraging its 2,500 employees, as well as its volunteers and members, to get a vaccine, spokeswoman Penny Wiegert said in an emailed statement.

“The Rockford Diocese, like Pope Francis, believes that getting vaccinated against serious illness is an act of love and Christian charity to all the world,” Wiegert said in the statement.

Give them a copy of this that was posted by hopefully soon to be governor of Illinois Darren Bailey

EMPLOYERS, INSTITUTIONS, AND ALL PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS MUST ALLOW CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION TO MANDATED VACCINES AND TESTING

The Health Care Right of Conscience Act provides that employers and institutions in Illinois are forbidden from orally questioning someone about their conscientious objection to health care services. Health care services include vaccination status, because of the law’s broad definition of what health care services are, which includes medication. Vaccines are recognized as medicine, even by the CDC. The law is also clear that employment cannot be conditioned on whether a person has such an objection.

According to the law, health care means any phase of patient care, including but not limited to care or treatment rendered by any person at any public or private location, intended for physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

It is unlawful to discriminate against any applicant based on their conscientious objection to health care (vaccination, and “testing” specifically included), in terms of employment, admission to or participation in any programs for which they would otherwise be eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner.

The language in the Act is so broad that it prohibits any person from discriminating against any other person, in any way (specifically including hiring, licensing, promotion, or any privilege), because of their conscientious refusal to receive health care (a vaccine or testing).

This law supercedes all law in Illinois that is inconsistent with it. That means that not even Lori Lightfoot, JB Pritzker, a concert venue, or a grocery store can condition services or entry, or anything else upon vaccination status without an exception for conscientious objectors.

Tip: To articulate a religious exemption to mandated testing, the Bible verses Matthew 9:12 and Mark 7:21-23 may be helpful to articulate your objection.

The first comment on this post includes a link for more information.

Pertinent sections of the Act:

(745 ILCS 70/7) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5307)
Sec. 7. Discrimination by employers or institutions. It shall be unlawful for any public or private employer, entity, agency, institution, official or person, including but not limited to, a medical, nursing or other medical training institution, to deny admission because of, to place any reference in its application form concerning, to orally question about, to impose any burdens in terms or conditions of employment on, or to otherwise discriminate against, any applicant, in terms of employment, admission to or participation in any programs for which the applicant is eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner, on account of the applicant’s refusal to receive, obtain, accept, perform, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer, assist or participate in any way in any forms of health care services contrary to his or her conscience.

(745 ILCS 70/5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5305)
Sec. 5. Discrimination. It shall be unlawful for any person, public or private institution, or public official to discriminate against any person in any manner, including but not limited to, licensing, hiring, promotion, transfer, staff appointment, hospital, managed care entity, or any other privileges, because of such person’s conscientious refusal to receive, obtain, accept, perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer or participate in any way in any particular form of health care services contrary to his or her conscience.

(745 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5302)
Sec. 2. Findings and policy. The General Assembly finds and declares that people and organizations hold different beliefs about whether certain health care services are morally acceptable. It is the public policy of the State of Illinois to respect and protect the right of conscience of all persons who refuse to obtain, receive or accept, or who are engaged in, the delivery of, arrangement for, or payment of health care services and medical care whether acting individually, corporately, or in association with other persons; and to prohibit all forms of discrimination, disqualification, coercion, disability or imposition of liability upon such persons or entities by reason of their refusing to act contrary to their conscience or conscientious convictions in providing, paying for, or refusing to obtain, receive, accept, deliver, pay for, or arrange for the payment of health care services and medical care. It is also the public policy of the State of Illinois to ensure that patients receive timely access to information and medically appropriate care.

(745 ILCS 70/3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5303)
Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context clearly otherwise requires:
(a) “Health care” means any phase of patient care, including but not limited to, testing; diagnosis; prognosis; ancillary research; instructions; family planning, counselling, referrals, or any other advice in connection with the use or procurement of contraceptives and sterilization or abortion procedures; medication; surgery or other care or treatment rendered by a physician or physicians, nurses, paraprofessionals or health care facility, intended for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of persons; or an abortion as defined by the Reproductive Health Act;
(b) “Physician” means any person who is licensed by the State of Illinois under the Medical Practice Act of 1987;
(c) “Health care personnel” means any nurse, nurses’ aide, medical school student, professional, paraprofessional or any other person who furnishes, or assists in the furnishing of, health care services;
(d) “Health care facility” means any public or private hospital, clinic, center, medical school, medical training institution, laboratory or diagnostic facility, physician’s office, infirmary, dispensary, ambulatory surgical treatment center or other institution or location wherein health care services are provided to any person, including physician organizations and associations, networks, joint ventures, and all other combinations of those organizations;
(e) “Conscience” means a sincerely held set of moral convictions arising from belief in and relation to God, or which, though not so derived, arises from a place in the life of its possessor parallel to that filled by God among adherents to religious faiths;

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