TO: Priests in the Archdiocese 
FROM: Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone,Archbishop of San Francisco 
DATE: June 14, 2021 
RE: Reopening for public Masses, part 13 

As the state of California is now lifting most coronavirus restrictions, thanks to the decreasing rate of infections, it is now time for us to do the same with our safety protocols for Mass. As public health officials remind us, however, the pandemic is not yet completely over. We must continue to be vigilant and responsible in ensuring maximum health and safety of our parish communities. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, I am issuing the following modifications to the safety protocols currently in effect.

The following modifications are outlined according to what is to be retained, what is to be dropped, what may be restored, and what is to be modified. Most significantly, it is now time to bring our people back to Mass. Therefore, the dispensation for the Sunday obligation will be rescinded on June 24, 2021. That is, the dispensation for attending Sunday Mass will be dropped, and the Sunday Mass obligation restored. I ask that you take this weekend to announce this to your people and prepare for their return to Mass. All of the other modifications listed below are effective immediately.

To be Retained 

• Doors and windows are to stay open to ensure maximum ventilation. 
• Congregants are to wear masks during Mass indoors (unless they have a physical or personal difficulty with it). 
• Churches should continue to maintain visible signage encouraging social distancing and washing of hands and maintaining hygienic protocols. 
• Hand sanitizers are to be readily available. 
• Missal to be placed on a stand at the presider’s chair. 
• No procession with the offerings to the altar. 
• Location of vessels on the altar according to the current protocols. 
• Sign of Peace to be exchanged by the people reverently bowing to those near them. 
• The current procedure for the distribution of Communion is to continue (don mask, sanitize hands, sanitize again if make contact). 
• Distribution of Communion under the species of bread only. 

To be Dropped 

• *Dispensation from Sunday obligation (NB: this does not apply to those persons restricted from coming to Mass for health reasons, as indicated above). 
• Contact information lists and consent forms, as well as taking of temperatures. 
• Sanitizing pews and other-high touch areas before services. 
• Wearing of masks for outdoor services. 
• Washing of purified vessels with hot water and soap after Mass. 

To be Restored (NB: all but the first are at the discretion of the pastor) 

• Obligation to attend Sunday Mass.  It is important to remind your people that anyone who feels sick is dispensed from attending Mass by canon law itself; indeed, they are exercising responsibility toward their fellow parishioners by staying at home, so as not to risk contagion that can cause others to become ill. Likewise, those who fear they may be seriously adversely affected by infection are also dispensed by canon law itself.

The following ... [lists] the modifications to the safety protocols now in effect for our Archdiocese.

• Use of missalettes, hymnals, cards, worship aids. 
• Holy water in stoups at entrances to the church. These should be regularly cleaned and maintained. 
• The resumption of pre-Covid 19 Mass schedule in parishes. 
• Collections may be taken up by ushers using baskets with handles or passing baskets person-to-person in the pews. 
• Use of credence table at side of the sanctuary, with offerings being brought to the altar by the altar servers and the priest washing his hands in the usual way. 

To be Modified:

• Social distancing reduced to three feet between households. 
• Small choirs allowed with members wearing masks and keeping a minimum of twelve feet apart from each other. 
• Congregational singing (presuming that, when indoors, the people are wearing masks). 
• Liturgical ministers do not wear masks while carrying out their liturgical ministry (including cantor at the ambo, provided the closest person is at least twenty feet away). 
• Concelebrating priests do not wear masks unless they cannot remain a minimum of six feet apart from each other. 

Note:

• PEOPLE WISHING TO RECEIVE COMMUNION ON THE TONGUE MUST BE ALLOWED TO DO SO. 
• PEOPLE ARE NOT TO BE ASKED IF THEY HAVE BEEN VACCINATED (IN ORDER TO BE ALLOWED INDOORS FOR MASS). 

*Effective June 24, 2021 

Download the PDF

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone's letter to the priests of the Archdiocese on February 8, 2020, regarding the reopening of public Masses:

As you all know by now, last Friday the Supreme Court issued an injunction in South Bay United Pentecostal Church, et al. lifting California’s blanket ban on indoor worship. This decision is consistent with the most recent decisions from the Supreme Court that I referenced in my previous memo to you (December 18, 2020), namely, in the Diocese of Brooklyn case and the 9th Circuit Court in the Calvary Chapel (Nevada) case. As I also mentioned in that previous memo, these recent court decisions establish the principle that religious worship may not be treated less favorably than the most favored classes of business, meaning at a minimum the rules for indoor retail must also apply to indoor worship. Therefore, houses of worship have to be treated at least as well as retail, which for us in California means 25% indoor capacity at this time.

This recent Supreme Court order is a welcome one. Even so, it does not change the science. The instruction I gave to you in the December 18th memo, then, remains the same: continue to celebrate Mass outdoors when that is feasible, as this adds an additional safety precaution for those gathered, but when in your judgment it would be safer for the people to be indoors rather than out, then bring them into the church while strictly observing the safety protocols of the Archdiocese in every detail. Below you will find a link to the latest version. The four principal practices remain in place: social distancing, masks, sanitation, and ventilation (opening doors and windows). As a reminder, the safety protocols of the Archdiocese are the same basic protocols being followed by dioceses throughout the United States, and as three major infectious disease specialists noted after reviewing the data, these protocols work. Not a single COVID outbreak has been traced to Mass attendance where these protocols are observed. Below you will find a link giving information on this study.

Please continue to remind your parishioners that those who are sick should not attend Mass, even if it’s “just a cold” and they feel well enough to attend, and that the dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation remains in place for now. The elderly and others at high risk from COVID, as well as those who care for them, may choose in good conscience to remain at home.

Safety Protocols:
Archdiocesan Protocols (English)
Archdiocesan Protocols (Spanish)

Letter on the evidence-based safety of our protocols by three infectious disease specialists:
https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2020/08/19/evidence- based_guidelines_to_celebrate_mass_safely_are_working.html
 

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PDF - English 
Video - English   |   Spanish  (recorded by the Archbishop regarding the news above)