Mario Tama
Father Arturo Corral speaks during socially distanced baptism ceremonies at the historic Our Lady Queen of Angels (La Placita) Church amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 26 in Los Angeles, California. Parishioners from separate families are seated in socially distanced chairs and are required to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. While the COVID-19 pandemic originally caused a backlog of around 600 baptisms at the church, La Placita is now able to conduct the ceremonies outdoors for the faithful in the church plaza. The church, dedicated in 1822 when California was a part of Mexico, primarily serves members of the Latino community and is the oldest Catholic church in Los Angeles.

Some people seem to be holding out the fear that they are “protecting” society against illness to advance their view of religion as just another “special interest.”