Communications regarding COVID-19 will be located on this page. We will also post helpful links. Additional communications will be emailed to students, faculty, and staff.
Please email Rector@shsst.edu for further information or if you have any questions.
Operating Hours 8:00am-4:30pm
Policies, Procedures & Updates from the Rector’s Office
September 1, 2021: Email from the Rector ‘Caring for the safety of our most vulnerable’
August 30, 2021: COVID-19 Prevention: Vaccinated versus Un-Vaccinated
August 06, 2021: Moving to Phase 4
June 17, 2021: Move to phase 4.5 and revised SHSST COVID-19 Response Levels for Operations
April 08, 2021: Moving to Phase 4
March 25, 2021: Revised operations plan with new CDC guidelines for the fully vaccinated.
March 16, 2021: Fr. Raúl’s letter on the one year anniversary of closing the campus due to COVID-19, moving forward in faith and hope!
March 3, 2021: Revised operations plan as we move into Phase 3 on March 8.
February 8, 2021: Our faculty & staff and student Covid-19 documents have been updated to reflect the latest guidance by the CDC.
February 05, 2021: Move to Phase 2.5 – Operations Plan
February 04, 2021: Email from the rector regarding SHSST vaccination procedures
January 11, 2021:
Spring 2021 academic courses will begin online for the first two weeks, as we monitor Covid-19 rates and variants. In-house SHSST formation sessions, Wednesday practicums involving only SHSST residential seminarians, and English-language courses will be delivered in-person. Course delivery will be reassessed by January 29th. We are excited to see our students! Read the full update here.
December 14, 2020: All of our main Covid-19 documents have been updated to reflect the latest guidance by the CDC.
City of Franklin Website: https://www.franklinwi.gov/
City of Milwaukee Website: https://city.milwaukee.gov/
In the News
to stop the spread of Covid-19
Helpful information about the Covid-19 vaccines, including weekly updates from Human Resources
September 14, 2021: DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
August 30, 2021:
- DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
- CDC Statement Following ACIP Pfizer-BioNTech Vote
August 25, 2021: CDC Announcement August 18, 2021 – Article, Highlights & Takeaways
August 24, 2021:
- COVID-19 Prevention and Safety
- NY Time States COVID-19 Deaths- Milwaukee City
- NY Time States COVID-19 New Cases – Milwaukee City
- NY Time States COVID-19 Deaths – Wisconsin
- NY Time States COVID-19 New Cases – Wisconsin
- FDA Issues Warning on Drug Promoted to Treat COVID-19
- Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Gets Full Approval from FDA
- Wisconsin hits 6M Vaccine Doses; Hospitalizations High
- Tony Evers Offers $100 Gift Cards for the First Shot of COVID-19 Vaccine
August 17, 2021: Journal Sentinel ‘Deaths remain low while COVID cases slowly rise’
August 16, 2021:
- Email from Human Resources ‘Covid-19 Prevention – Vaccine Third Dose (CDC 08/13/2021)’
- DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
August 10, 2021: COVID-19 cases and deaths by county and census tract, municipality, school district and zip code
August 9, 2021: DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
July 19, 2021: DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
July 12, 2021: DHS Weekly COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Newsletter
February 24, 2021:
- Weekly Newsletter – How Can I Stop the Spread – 2.24.2021 Edition
- Milwaukee-Area Vaccine Info and Appointments 2.24.21
February 18, 2021:
- Moderna Vaccine Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers
- Pfizer Vaccine Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers
- Milwaukee-Area Vaccine Info and Appointments
- Email from the Franklin Health Department
February 17, 2021: Weekly Newsletter – How Can I Stop the Spread – 02.17.2021 Edition
February 10, 2021: Weekly Newsletter – How Can I Stop the Spread – 02.09.2021 Edition
CARES ACT Reporting
For Reflection on our experience of the COVID-19 pandemic
Article: “Do Your Employees Need to Wear Face Masks?”
Thank you to the ECS students who helped make 1400 face masks for Just One More Ministry! Wow! Your help is invaluable to the community around us!
“Just One More Ministry seeks volunteers for 3.5 million mask campaign”
Just One More Ministry has joined forces with Rebel Converting of Saukville in an effort to make and distribute 3.5 million face masks. The mask-making kits are given to volunteer families and organizations, and once the masks are completed, they are distributed to area healthcare facilities and nonprofits.
Just One More seeks to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ by caring for Milwaukee’s poor in spirit, providing regular nutritious meals for the hungry, and offering those who suffer with addictions a faith based recovery program for creating a fulfilling and God-centered life.
For more information visit www.jomministry.org/masks
Want real-time details? Visit https://www.jomministry.org/masksout for the full progress dashboard.
Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology deeply cares for its students, faculty and staff. We continue to monitor COVID-19. Updates to school procedures including any adjustments to teaching will be announced here. Currently, we do not have plans to close but will work in conjunction with Milwaukee County and Wisconsin state health officials. We have significantly enhanced cleaning protocols and are creating alternate teaching plans if needed.
Students, faculty or staff that are at higher-risk are encouraged to talk to their supervisor, to determine the plan best for them.
Please continue the preventative measures as outlined by the CDC:
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow, not your hands.
- Stay home when sick or feeling under the weather.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Milwaukee County health officials also recommend during the next month to avoid gatherings of 250 or more persons and venues that attract large crowds.
May we be a light of faith to others during this difficult time!
Urbi et Orbi
Pope Francis held a special Urbi et Orbi on Friday, March 27, 2020 from the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Usually a colorful event reserved only for Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, this extraordinary blessing was held in keeping with the gravity of the current global situation, as more than half of the world’s population is confined to their homes to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” reported the Vatican News website.
“Standing in a deserted St. Peter’s Square with a steady rain falling, Pope Francis spoke to the world through all the means of modern communication: Facebook, YouTube, TV, and radio.”
Click here to watch the live stream video.
Click here to read the full report at Vatican News.
Click here to read Pope Francis’ text.
Click on any of the following for additional communications:
2021
August 06 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D. – Click Here
July 30 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D. – Click Here
June 01 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D. – Click Here
April 08 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Moving to Phase 4 – Click Here
January 28 Move to Phase 2.5 – Hybrid Modality Course Delivery
2020
November 06 Shift to Phase 2 of our Covid-19 Response Operations Plan; click here for the letter to students.
October 30 Temporary online course delivery and building closure
October 29 Out of caution, the building is closed and being deep cleaned after an employee tested positive for Covid-19. All protocols are in place and we hope to re-open facilities next week. All courses are shifted to online starting today; all students have been contacted.
October 28
SHSST COVID Procedure for Students (View revised copy December 14)
SHSST COVID Procedure for Faculty and Staff (View revised copy December 14)
August 24 SHSST COVID-19 Response Operations Plan with Phase 2.5 Protocol (View revised copy December 14)
August 20 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: COVID-19 Operations Response Plan Update
August 17 Residential Student Commitment Form; variations of this were created for commuting students (View revised copy December 14)
July 04 Delaying Move to Phase 3
July 01 Return to school protocol for in-house seminarians
May 15 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Lifting of Governor Ever’s emergency order- Click Here
May 14 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Stay at Home Order Update – Click Here
May 11 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: President’s Council Update – Click Here
April 17 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Stay at Home Order Update – Click Here
April 03 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Holy Week/Easter Update – Click Here
April 02 Communication from Fr. Ed Kilianski: SCJ update – Click Here
March 30 Communication from Patrick J. Russell, Ph.D., Academic Dean: Student CARE Communique- Click Here
March 27 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Week 2 update – Click Here
March 24 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Governor Ever’s “Stay at Home” order – Click Here
March 24 Communication from Maintenance: Room usage update – Click Here
March 18 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Cafeteria now offering boxed lunches – Click Here
March 17 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Invitation to pray the Angelus – Click Here
March 16 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Shifting operations – Click Here
March 13 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: Living situation – Click Here
March 13 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, Ph.D.: COVID update – Click Here
March 12 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Monitoring COVID situation – Click Here
March 9 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: COVID response – Click Here
A statement from Sodexho, our catering service, regarding their preventative measures:
Information from our Partners:
The Priests of the Sacred Heart (Dehonians), of which Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology is an apostolate, has a very useful information sheet for their community. It was created by their Province Director of Healthcare Services, Mary Balistreri:
http://dehoniansusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Coronavirus-Info-March-2020.pdf
COVID-19 Symptoms compared to other common conditions
St. Francis de Sales Seminary:
Archdiocese of Milwaukee:
Click here for the latest COVID updates from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: https://www.archmil.org/Our-Faith/CoVID-19-Updates.htm
Home Page: https://www.archmil.org
Suspension of the public celebration of Masses throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, through Friday, April 3: https://www.archmil.org/ArchMil/attachments/CoVID19UpdateforMass.pdf
Liturgical and Pastoral Suggestions: https://www.archmil.org/News-2.0/Liturgical–Pastoral-Suggestions-in-the-Event-of-a-Viral-Outbreak.htm
Below are links for additional resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Home page: https://www.cdc.gov
Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Travel guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
World Health Association, Questions and Answers: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
Wisconsin Department of Health Services:
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/covid-19.htm
Franklin Coronavirus Information:
https://www.franklinwi.gov/Files/Health/Program-Flyers/Coronavirus_Update_3-10-2020.pdf
Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services:
https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/DHHS
City of Milwaukee Health Department:
https://city.milwaukee.gov/Coronavirus#.Xmr1XC2ZPjA
Flu & Coronavirus Comparison:
Helpful information from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs:
Higher Learning Committee
