The instructor was told that the ban is in place because yoga is a Hindu not Catholic religious activity

PA

A priest has yoga classes from a church hall because he says is "not compatible" with the Catholic faith.

Instructor Cori Withell said the classes she booked for yoga and pilates at St Edmund's Church building in Southampton were cancelled with 10 days to go.

She was told by the booking secretary of the church that it was because yoga is a Hindu religious activity.

Father John Chandler from the church said that the hall has to be used for Catholic activities and he banned it because it was advertised as "spiritual yoga".

The ban is not Catholic Church policy and decisions are left to the discretion of individual priests. Some Catholic retreats use yoga for relaxation.

Ms Withell, 37, from nearby Eastleigh, said the church accepted the booking two months ago and she paid 180.

She was called later and told that yoga was from another religion so she could not have the hall.

A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.

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Yoga no-go: Priest bans classes from church hall... because they are "not compatible" with the Catholic faith