COVID Restrictions and Just Laws

[followhiminstead2]

For the past six months my county has prohibited “any event or convening that brings together more than one person in a single room or single indoor or outdoor space at the same time,” with the exceptions of household groups, transportation services, essential businesses, religious services, and certain political activities.

I know that Catholics have an obligation to respect just laws. However, according to a strict reading of these rules, I may not even have an outdoors, masked-up, and socially-distant meeting with a friend (or any less precautionary variant of this meeting with a friend). This is a very heavy burden.

Perhaps these rules are just laws and I am obligated to obey them so long as they last. As a thought experiment, however, if the authorities argue that there is still sufficient justification for these rules in one, ten, or even one-hundred years, could I be obligated not to see my friends for one, ten, or even one-hundred years?

How do I know if a law is just (or when a just law is not longer a just law)? I have not found detailed writings on this issue that are accessible to a layman like myself. Thanks!

 

[lwest]

I’m guessing that an unjust law would be a law that requires you to do something that is against what the Church teaches. The COVID restrictions in your country seem very strict and I’m sorry to hear that. Sure, I can imagine it’s a heavy burden and I hope they relax them soon. I don’t know if they would constitute an unjust law, though. There’s nothing in Church teaching that says we have to associate with friends. But your country allows exceptions for transportation services, essential businesses, religious services. Is there any way your friend could meet you at one of those? I’ve seen people in the store chatting away…or after Mass. It’s not the same as hanging out with the friends, watching a movie but it’s better than nothing.