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March 11, 2020
Media Contact:
Maria Lemakis
314.792.7635
marialemakis@archstl.org
Archbishop Robert J. Carlson Mandates Precautionary Measures Regarding Holy
Mass Amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and Presence in Greater St. Louis
With the declaration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic and the virus’ presence in the
Greater St. Louis area, following consultation with the St. Louis Department of Health and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Archbishop Robert J. Carlson is now mandating
that all parishes within the Archdiocese of St. Louis adhere to the health and safety measures
recommended in the letter he distributed last week.
The mandates include advising parishioners who are sick or have a compromised immune system to
refrain from attending Mass, school or church activities; suspending the physical exchange of the
sign of peace; and suspending the distribution of Holy Communion via the chalice. New measures
added since Archbishop Carlson’s previous letter include the emptying and discontinuation of the
use of Holy Water fonts; additional alterations to the distribution of Holy Communion; and the
requirement that all those administering Holy Communion be in good health, free from symptoms of
illness.
Priests and deacons who are sick or experiencing symptoms are not to offer Mass, participate in
parish activities or visit the sick in residences, hospitals or nursing homes. Those who are
symptomatic of COVID-19 are being directed to contact their local department of health and follow
the guidelines.
All decisions regarding parish, school and archdiocesan workplace operations will continue to be
determined by developments in the COVID-19 situation in the St. Louis area, as well as by the
effects on each individual community. We continue to be in contact with health officials for guidance
in all decisions, and reiterate to our parishes, schools and staff the importance of reviewing the CDC
website regularly, staying home if one is sick, following hygiene and travel guidelines from health
officials, and reporting any pertinent information to the local health department.
All updates and resources from the Archdiocese of St. Louis regarding COVID-19, including stories
from the St. Louis Review, can be found at archstl.org/coronavirus. Please direct questions to
communications@archstl.org.
Precautionary Measurements for Holy Mass amid coronavirus (COVID-19)