A priest in Vermont was removed from his position after posting a video in which he refused to follow coronavirus-related requirements announced by his bishop.

Bishop Christopher Coyne of the Burlington Diocese issued a letter Tuesday regarding the decision to let go of Rev. Peter Williams of the Holy Family Parish in Springfield over his “disobedience and disrespect.” Williams had criticized church leadership over the established mask and vaccination policies and expressed that he had no desire to resign from his position.

“After an extensive process and much prayer, it is with great sadness that I announce the decision to remove Father Peter Williams as a pastor of Holy Family Parish for his serious disobedience and disrespect shown to the office of the bishop,” Coyne wrote in the letter addressed to the church community.

“I apologize for the length of time it has taken to reach this decision since Father Williams first made this matter public,” Coyne wrote, adding that he wanted to ensure that “William’s canonical rights” were not infringed upon.

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Williams posted a video Jan. 5 to the Holy Family Parish’s YouTube channel in which he spoke about a “directive” sent by Coyne telling priests and deacons they would either have to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or “wear a mask and get tested every other week.”

The directive was sent in September. “This is for the protection of your community and other individuals and is not optional. I rely on the honor system completely for this and your promise of obedience to me as your bishop in this matter,” Coyne said after discussing the COVID-19 rules.

Williams said in his video that he “quickly responded” to Coyne and informed him that he would not be complying with the directive, after which Coyne informed him that he had “14 days to comply” or he would be suspended. “He cited a canon, in canon law, that had all the penalties from being suspended to being dismissed as a priest, and even excommunicated,” Williams said in the video.

“A great deal of misinformation has been spread that has caused much division and concern within the parish and has impacted his ability to minister to all parishioners,” Coyne wrote in his letter. “The truth is no priest, deacon, employee, volunteer or parishioner of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington has ever been mandated to receive the Covid-19 vaccination.”

Coyne said he “encouraged” them to receive a vaccine but “acknowledged this was a personal choice,” adding that unvaccinated clergy members would be required to wear a mask while “celebrating the sacraments and meeting with or visiting any individual(s) while carrying out their ministry.” They would also be required to be tested for COVID-19 “every other week.”

“Each and every person is in charge of their own medical treatments and can make decisions for themselves about their medical treatments,” Williams said in the YouTube video. “I would say that since COVID has come on the scene, I haven’t gotten sick, I haven’t gotten a cold, I haven’t gotten a flu. I have chosen to go the route of boosting my immune system and being in the best physical health I can be.”

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“My fervent prayer is that Father Williams and I can still mend our relationship as priest and bishop and together continue our ministry to spread the Good News that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior,” Coyne wrote in his letter, adding that he had invited Williams to stay with him at his “residence in St. Joseph Cathedral Parish in Burlington” so the two of them could reconcile.

To date, at least 93% of people in Vermont have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 80% are considered to be fully vaccinated, according to the New York Times‘s coronavirus tracker. There have been a total of 113,651 recorded COVID-19 cases in Vermont and 608 deaths, according to the newspaper.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Williams and the Holy Family Parish for comment but did not receive a response.

Original Location: Vermont priest removed after rejecting COVID-19 directive

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