MEMORANDUM
To: Priests of the Archdiocese
From: Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone
Archbishop of San Francisco
Date: March 16, 2020
Re. Update on Coronavirus Precautions
As you are all aware by now, the Health Officers of six Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa) earlier today issued a “shelter in place” order for the purpose of containing the spread of the coronavirus. The order remains in effect until April 7th, when an assessment will be made regarding continuing, modifying or dropping the order.
Please know that I have had extensive conversations over the past two days with priests, experts in the field (including two Stanford University professors, one in neurobiology and the other in medicine and microbiology), and lay faithful. I then, just this afternoon, had a conference call with the Deans of the Archdiocese along with the Vicars for Clergy, the Vicar General, and the Moderator of the Curia-Vicar for Administration in order to discern a path forward by which we can comply with what the counties are asking us to do, while at the same time continuing to
provide for the spiritual care of our people. The instructions I give here are a result of this consultation.
