Despite indicating on Thursday that they may still wish to have a judge rule on the (newly relaxed) worship restrictions in DC, the Archdiocese of Washington yesterday settled their case against Mayor Muriel Bowser.
An attorney for the see called the agreement, announced by DC Attorney General Karl Racine, a "Christmas truce".
The decision came less than 24 hours after the archbishop, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, was published the Washington Post defending the lawsuit and praising local Catholics for their adherence to local COVID guidelines.
[Related: Opinion: Cardinal Gregory's WaPo op-ed brings tidings of great confusion]
Though last Thursday brought Bowser's revision of the previous 50-person cap, yesterday's announcement brings additional details, including a commitment to give 36-hours' notice before enforcing any COVID-related restrictions on places of worship in the District.
The new agreement may also afford houses of worship an exemption from DC's impending increase in restrictions due to case spikes, with The Hill reporting that the new worship limits (25%/250 people) will "not necessarily be lowered" in the new guidelines.
The bilateral decision between Bowser and the ADW is expected to be filed in the courts today.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder of Black Catholic Messenger, a priesthood applicant with the Josephites, and a ThM student w/ the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA).
