**************************************************************************************

*************************************************************************************

                                            First Steps in Reopening for Public Mass                                          An Update to the People of God from Archbishop Cordileone 

You are my shelter; you guard me from distress; with joyful shouts of deliverance you surround me (Ps 32:7).

As we continue to take shelter in our homes to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, this prayer of the psalmist reminds us that our only true refuge is the Lord alone. We ask God to shelter all those suffering from physical and economic distress as a result of this pandemic. I am also well aware of the spiritual distress that so many of our people are experiencing due to the unavailability of attending Mass in person. I therefore wish to send you this communication to update you on steps we are taking to reopen for public Mass here in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

For these last several weeks I have been joining my brother bishops in California for our weekly videoconference meetings to discuss the current situation and strategize how to begin safely to reopen for public Masses. We all agree that we should do this in sync with government regulations for sound safety protocols, and to that end have initiated a conversation with government leaders in Sacramento on this topic. I myself have been in touch with local government leaders here, as well as consulted with top experts in the fields of health care and epidemiology. I have also been in contact with Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Orthodox Church, who has shared with me the similar concerns of the bishops of the various Orthodox jurisdictions in California. The next two weeks will be the critical test: San Francisco has “flattened the curve,” and if this trend continues for these next two weeks, it will be safer to loosen some of the current restrictions on day-to-day activities. In any event, I wish to inform you that I have formed a committee of pastors and lay people to draft safety protocols, in keeping with current government regulations, that will enable us to begin accommodating our people for public Mass. Clearly, it will be different from what we are accustomed to, since numbers will have to be limited in order to observe the required physical distance and other safety measures. However, working with this committee, I look to find a way to accommodate the greatest number of people possible for Mass while in no way compromising the safety restrictions necessary to protect our people from contracting and spreading the virus. The dispensation to attend Sunday Mass will remain in place, and so those who fear becoming infected may remain at home in good conscience. The usual advisories also remain in place for those who should remain at home and avoid exposure to any public gathering, including worship: the elderly, those with pre-existing health conditions making them especially vulnerable to infection, those who have recently had contact with someone tested to be COVID-19 positive, etc. Sunday, of course, is still the Christian Sabbath and so must be kept holy, even if in-person attendance at Mass is not possible. You may attend any livestreamed Mass in the Archdiocese remotely via the Archdiocesan website. You will also find there an Act of Spiritual Communion and other resources (sfarch.org/keeping-the-sabbath).

God is our shelter, and God delivers from distress all those who remain true to Him. Let us therefore persevere in faith, hope and charity, trusting that in God’s time and in God’s way, God will surround us with joyful shouts of deliverance. 

*************************************************************************************

The priests of St. Cecilia continue to pray for the health and safety of our parishioners and their families.  While we are conducting the activities of our parish by livestreaming the daily Mass, not being able to celebrate the sacraments in our usual fashion is challenging and is only one of many examples of the impact of COVID-19 on our global community.  While we go about the daily life of parish as best we can, we wanted to update you on a few important matters:

PARISH FINANCES

Recently the Archbishop convened a meeting with all pastors to discuss the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the parishes of the Archdiocese. Several parishes find themselves financially challenged and funds will be made available to assist them through these difficult times. I am happy to report to you that, through the generosity of parishioners and the careful stewardship of our finances, St. Cecilia Parish and School currently remain financially stable. We do understand that this pandemic event has had a major financial impact on many of our parishioners and we are grateful for anything that you can continue to give. ONLINE GIVING (stcecilia.com/83) is utilized by many parishioners and if you require assistance please feel free to reach out the Rectory Office.

MASS SCHEDULE

As the shelter-in-place continues, we wanted to make sure you are aware of the LIVESTREAMING of the daily Mass at 9:00 AM on our website at stcecilia.com. Click on the link "Live Video of Mass" on the right hand column to watch daily livestreamed Mass at 9:00 AM.

BUDDY PHONE CHAIN

Do you live alone or are in a circumstance which tends to isolate you? Think... Corona Virus isolation. If so, you may want to consider joining our "Buddy Phone Chain," a lively group of parishioners who regularly receive a reassuring phone call, and then make a call to a buddy in the phone chain. This a quick, non-intrusive way to feel safer and to check-in with someone you know. Your peace of mind costs nothing and only takes a few minutes each week. If interested, please call our "Buddy Phone Chain" coordinator, Diane Wienkauf at (650) 416-4741 or Fr. Paul at (415) 664-8481 to sign up or for more information.

SPIRITUAL RESOURCES

As a member of the Parish you can avail yourself of WWW.FORMED.ORG (parish access code: RZDPQZ). This resource will provide you with access to thousands of movies, programs and other material that we believe will be of spiritual comfort and guidance during this time.

*************************************************************************************

Pandemic Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Holy Virgin of Guadalupe,
Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We fly to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son,
as you did at the wedding in Cana.

Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.

For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.

In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.

We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.                                                                          
Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus.

Amen.

*************************************************************************************

"Shelter-In-Place order":  

Pope Francis: An Important Statement Regarding the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession During  COVID-19 Lockdown/Restriction

VATICAN CITY (CNS) March 20, 2020 - People who cannot get to confession because of the corona virus lockdown or other serious reason can go to God directly, be specific about their sins, request pardon and experience God's loving forgiveness, Pope said. "This is the right time, the opportune moment.  An act of contrition done well, and our souls will become white like snow.  Return to your father who is waiting for you," the pope said.  "The God of tenderness will heal us; he will heal us of the many, many wounds of life and the many ugly things we have done.  God  welcomes every repentant sinner with open arms, it's like going home,  Lent is a special time to let God wash us, purify us, to let God embrace us. Yes, the best place for that is the confessional.  But many people today would tell me, 'Father, where can I find a priest, a confessor, because I can't leave the house?  And I want to make peace with the Lord, I want him to embrace me, I want the Father's embrace.' "the pope said his response would be, "Do what the Catechism (of the Catholic Church) says.  It is very clear: if you cannot find a priest to confess to, then speak directly with God, your father, and tell him the truth.  Say 'Lord, I did this, this, this. Forgive me' and ask for pardon with all your heart. Make and act of contrition, the pope said, and promise God, " 'I will go to confession afterward, but forgive me now' And immediately you return to a state of grace with God."

PLEASE NOTE:  If someone is in grave danger of death, you may call the parish office at 415-664-8481 or the parish emergency phone number at 415-722-9095 to contact a priest. Also, during this time of quarantine, we ask that only in dire need of the Sacrament of Penance, you may use one of the above phone numbers to contact our priest.  Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.