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 9:00am-3:00pm
Current Status
There are currently no known cases of COVID-19 at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology.
March 24, 2020: For information on how the Governor Ever’s “Stay at Home” order will impact Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, see Fr. Raúl’s 3/24/20 communication below
March 18, 2020: The school is limiting access to the dining room to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. The dining room will remain open for beverages and to pick up boxed meals but please do not linger in order to practice social distancing. Snacks and such will also still be available in the evenings for residents.
Sodexo will be providing boxed meals at the normal meal times to be eaten in your rooms or offices. Weekly menus will continue to be provided; however, options may be more limited. Lunches in particular are a challenge for Sodexo staff as those numbers will vary depending on who all is in the building. Knowing this, please limit the meal you chose to one large box. Smaller boxes of side salads may be provided along with soup which can be taken along with a large box. This will ensure all get a complete meal. Sodexo staff will monitor meals taken and may provide additional boxes of a particular meal if needed. Please dispose of leftovers appropriately. A trash receptacle will be available in the dining room.
March 16, 2020: In these uncertain times, we want to assure you that Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology is doing everything we can to protect the health of our seminarians, students, employees and collaborators while continuing to provide services. Due to the coronavirus, we will shift many operations online through the beginning of May, 2020. The seminary will remain in operation, but with the following changes:
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- The building is closed to the public.
- Courses will continue and will be provided on-line through the end of this semester. Faculty will be in contact with students.
- Library resources will be available online to all students and open to in-residence seminarians.
- The graduation ceremony unfortunately will be cancelled, as well as outside events through May 1st.
Students, please click here for Fr. Raul’s full letter dated March 16, 2020
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 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:
April 03 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Holy Week/Easter Update – Click Here
April 02 Communication from Fr. Ed Kilianski: SCJ update – Click Here
March 30 Communication from Patrick J. Russell, PhD, Academic Dean: Student CARE Communique- Click Here
March 27 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Week 2 update – Click Here
March 24 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: 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, PhD: Cafeteria now offering boxed lunches – Click Here
March 17 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Invitation to pray the Angelus – Click Here
March 16 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Shifting operations – Click Here
March 13 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: Living situation – Click Here
March 13 Communication from Very Rev. Raúl Gómez-Ruiz SDS, PhD: 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