Parish Priest letter template to support parishioners

XYZ DATE

To Whom it May Concern

Dear Sir/Madam,  

RE: RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FOR MANDATED COVID VACCINATION FOR XYZ

I am the priest and rector of the XYZ Serbian Orthodox Church in XYZ, which is a parish of the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.

Our Metropolitanate is under the spiritual direction of His Grace, Bishop Siluan, who is the Bishop and the administrator of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.

I write with respect to XYZ, and in support of his/her religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccination mandate which is being applied to him/her by his employer.

Furthermore, I write to confirm that:

1. XYZ is a baptised Serbian Orthodox Christian, having been baptised by his/her parents in XYZ (year) in XYZ;
2. He/she is an active parishioner and… (insert role or any further information, e.g. the Choir Director of my parish, attending frequently to undertake choir director duties in support of church services and for the benefit of the entire Serbian community in XYZ);
3. The Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand in addition to opposing any coercion or force regarding mandatory vaccination, also emphasises that certain vaccines that have been developed from cell lines obtained from tissues harvested from aborted fetuses are morally unacceptable and in violation of our fundamental beliefs. Fetal therapy is a euphemism for aborting a human fetus in any stage of its development and subsequently using the aborted fetus to treat a medical condition or disease;and,
4. I bring to your attention the additional statement with supporting documentation produced by His Grace Bishop Siluan detailing the religious, moral, and spiritual bases upon which Orthodox Christians object to receiving the COVID-19 vaccines currently being distributed within Australia, as well as similar medical interventions that are produced using similar morally problematic technology. 

As a priest in the Serbian Orthodox Church, I strongly support XYZ’s case for a religious exemption to the vaccination mandate. We do not judge those who have received the vaccines; however, we cannot condone any attempt by person or organization to coerce or otherwise force our parishioners to receive these vaccines against their conscience. Such coercion goes against the fundamental doctrines of our Church concerning the human person as being created in the image and likeness of God, endowed with the gift of free will and ability to choose. It would be a direct attack on our Orthodox Christian beliefs, and our freedom to worship and practice our faith without let or hindrance.

If you have any questions or queries, I stand ready to respond to them. 

Yours sincerely,

V. Rev. XYZ

Rector

XYZ Home Address & Contact Details

Personal letter template, to be completed by parishioners

Please note: This is QLD specific and can be given as an example for QLD use only. Each state will need to verify this detail themselves according to their own state law.

XYZ DATE

To whom it may concern,

I refer to the email dated XYZ regarding “XYZ” which states, amongst other things, that the XYZ (Employer) intends to discriminate against its employees by making them undergo an experimental medical procedure as a condition to go back to work.

Such discrimination is unlawful and the imposition of such a condition to go back to work is a breach of the general protections that protect my workplace rights. 

In addition and in particular, I am afforded (by virtue of s351 of the Fair Work Act) protection against an employer taking an adverse action against me, an employee, because of my religion. 

I am a practicing Orthodox Christian, and as such it is a violation of my religion to have any medical procedure or therapy done that involves foetal therapy. Foetal therapy is a euphemism for aborting a human foetus in any stage of its development and subsequently using the aborted foetus to treat a medical condition or disease. The main therapies widely available (or due to be) use foetal therapy as such:

1. Pfizer and BioNTech – The Pfizer Vaccine was protein tested using the abortion-derived cell line HEK-293. This information is enumerated by the Lozier Institute [2]. This information is recorded by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory [3].
2. AstraZeneca – AstraZeneca was developed using the abortion-derived cell line HEK-293. This information is enumerated by the Lozier Institute [2]. This information is also contained in documents permitting its emergency use in the United Kingdom [8].
3. Moderna – The Moderna Vaccine was protein tested using the abortion-derived cell line HEK-293. This information is enumerated by the Lozier Institute [2]. This information is cited by the vaccine researchers Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Darin K. Edwards, and Sarah R. Leist [4].
4. Novavax – The Novavax Vaccine was protein tested using the abortion-derived cell line HEK-293. This information is enumerated by the Lozier Institute [2]. This information is recorded by researches at ScienceMag [13].

It is against my religion, my conscience and the law to make me undergo an experimental medical procedure as a precondition to my employment. Further, to the extent that it is relevant, it is unlawful to compel me to take annual leave due to me not undergoing the subject experimental medical procedure.

I enclose for your information supporting documentation detailing the religious, moral and spiritual bases upon which Orthodox Christians object to receiving the COVID-19 vaccines currently being distributed within Australia, as well as similar medical interventions that are produced using similar morally-problematic technology.

As such, I request a religious exemption from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, based on the doctrinal mandate to abstain from any medicines which are the product of immoral production and the religious advisory of the synods, hierarchs, elders, medical workers of the Eastern Orthodox Church which are against and religiously object the COVID-19 vaccine. 

It is also my legal right under the laws of the Commonwealth (Australian Immunisation Register Ceasing correspondence and release of information) not to have any 3rd party access my vaccination status (including even my doctor).

I understand that the QLD Government has made certain directions and I remain happy to consider alternative working arrangements that do not deprive me of my rights, nevertheless, I reserve the right to approach the Fair Work Commission or the Federal Circuit Court for breaches of my employment entitlements should they continue. 

However, I trust that will not occur and I appreciate in advance your understanding of my position in these trying times.

Yours faithfully,

XYZ

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