Montreal archbishop opposes ban on public prayer
September 02, 2025
» Continue to this story on La Presse
CWN Editor's Note: Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal has taken a stand against a proposal by Quebec’s government to outlaw public prayer. In an op-ed piece of La Presse the archbishop argued that such a policy “would amount to reducing the freedom of society as a whole.” He noted that the freedom to “manifest one’s faith” is guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the human-rights charters of Canada and of Quebec. “These texts affirm that religious freedom is not confined to places of worship,” he observed.
While the government initiative is a response to Islamic prayers in public places, the archbishop pointed out that the proposed legislation would also bar processions that have become “longtime Catholic traditions.”
Archbishop Lépine also questioned how quiet prayer in a public place could be distinguished from silent meditation.
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