Diocesan Schools to Reopen with In-Person Instruction this Fall

Dallas, Texas (July 21, 2020) – Catholic schools in the Diocese of Dallas continue with plans for the in-person reopening of classes in the fall. According to school superintendent, Dr. Matt Vereecke, the leaders of diocesan schools have been meeting regularly with the Diocese of Dallas administration and outside medical experts throughout the State of Texas. Administrators have been sharing, revising and testing various plans and protocols that are necessary to keep students, faculty and staff safe.

In making the announcement, Dr. Vereecke pointed out that public schools face different issues than the 33 Catholic schools that operate in the 9 counties that make up the Diocese. “Diocesan schools have smaller classes, different facilities and more flexibility to adapt to the current health concerns.”

Dr. Vereecke went on to say “We have come to the conclusion that we can absolutely open our schools in person, and that we can keep our teachers, students and staff safe. Human life is sacred, and as Catholics we have a responsibility to protect it from conception to natural death, and we firmly believe these protocols will do so.” Dr. Vereecke added that he is aware that the decision to open and the protocols will be viewed by some as an ideological or political statement. “That is not the case. Our decisions have been made with only three objectives in mind: the health, safety and faith of our students, teachers and staff. “

Parents will receive a detailed reopening plan from schools soon. The following protocols are consistent across all diocesan schools:

• All diocesan elementary schools that are not in Dallas County can begin in-person instruction as early as August 19th.
   
• All diocesan elementary schools in Dallas County can begin in-person instruction as early as September 2nd.
   
• Regardless of start date, there will be a two-week phase in to fulltime instruction so that students and parents can be trained on the school safety and health protocols.
   
• All individuals will be required to wear face coverings when inside school buildings. There can be and will be no exceptions to this policy.
   
• There will be no fall sports for the grade schools.
   
• All individuals will submit to health screenings every day; mandatory sick leave will be enforced and details will be shared by the school principal when and if someone tests positive.
   
• Parents may opt for remote learning if the protocols do not fit the needs of the student or family.

“We will be constantly reviewing these procedures and monitoring our schools,” said Dr. Vereecke. “We are thankful for the partnership, trust and patience of parents, and look forward to seeing students in the fall.”

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Decree from Bishop Edward burns        March 13, 2020
DECREE

In order to dispel any confusion concerning the cancellation of all public Masses within the Diocese of Dallas until March 30, 2020, as noted in my Decree dated March 13, 2020, and in order to further discourage public gatherings in light of the current health communities, I decree that:

All Catholics of the Diocese of Dallas are under no obligation to attend Mass “on Sundays and other holy days of obligation” (canon 1247) until March 30, 2020.

Catholics of the Diocese of Dallas are under no obligation to attend Mass during this time Catholics of the Diocese of Dallas are especially under no obligation to travel to other dioceses in order to attend Mass.

Let us continue to pray for the Diocese, the community and all those affected by this virus.

Given this 14th day of March 2020 in the Diocese of Dallas.

Most Reverend Edward J. Burns
Bishop of Dallas

Gregory Caridi
Chancellor

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Click image for full-sized version of Decree (PDF)

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Statement of Bishop Edward Burns
March 13, 2020

These are without a doubt extraordinary days and they necessitate extraordinary measures. We have learned that we are in a state of emergency.

The leaders of our communities have sounded the alarm and now this shepherd is going to protect his flock. Effective immediately, the Catholic Diocese of Dallas will suspend all public masses until March 30, 2020. Our churches will remain open during the day for private prayer and Eucharistic adoration, but all Sunday masses and week day masses are canceled.

I recognize that I had the option of simply dispensing of the obligation to attend mass and continue to have the masses celebrated, but knowing my flock, and knowing their steadfastness in faith, many of them would continue to come to mass and it would result in significant numbers even in light of the guidelines set forth by government officials. In order for all the Catholic faithful to be at peace and to live without any anxiety as well as to remove any conflicted conscience of whether or not they should attend mass these days, as the shepherd of the diocese and out of affection for the faithful, I make this decision so that they may remain healthy and strong. This decision of mine came after an emergency meeting of the Priest council of the Diocese of Dallas, and they unanimously support this decision.

My goal as the Bishop is to be sure that the faithful are safe from disease and that this decision gives them a sense of peace so that they may be safe from all distress or anxiety regarding these days of emergency.

In the Catholic tradition we always identify the family as the domestic church. It is in the family that parents hand on the faith to the next generation. I want families to use these days to come together in prayer.  We recognize that good can come out of adversity, hopefully our families will grow stronger and be intentional in charting a course of action to assure that they grow stronger in faith and in their relationship to Jesus Christ.

It is important that we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

There are so many unknown variables about this virus and disease, and it is important that we be cautious and prudent, for the love of God and the love of our neighbor. We want to be good Samaritans and be concerned about the health of those around us.  This Catholic diocese will always work for the common good. It is our goal to level out the curve, and taking these measures will help flatten the curve so that our healthcare providers will not be overwhelmed.

While there are many unknowns about this disease and this pandemic, it is important for me as the shepherd to do what is sure and certain. And taking into account that large gatherings are a factor in the spread of this disease, to eliminate the spread we need eliminate large gatherings.

I can also tell you that all of our Catholic schools in the Diocese of the Dallas will be closed and move to e-learning or remote learning until at least March 27, 2020.  Local schools will have specific information for parents regarding remote and e-learning.  Our CCD classes or Sunday Catechetical classes are also suspended. Priests will continue to celebrate their own private Masses in order to pray for the faithful of the Diocese.

I spoke personally to Judge Clay Jenkins yesterday and this morning I had a conversation with City Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates, it is important that we partner together in order to make Dallas and the diocese a safer place.

Let me also be clear, this is not an act of God, this is an act of nature. God does not desire that people get sick, suffer and die. And the proof of this is made abundantly clear in our upcoming celebration of Easter.

Dear Parents –
When I was in college, I spent two years studying in the seminary with the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Congregation taught one thing above all else: as ministers, we were called to be people of hope. Specifically, it was our job to be people with hope to bring.

I share that with you because I imagine that hope is not high on your list of emotions right now. With the rapid changes over the last two weeks, the entire world has been forced to deal with the difficulties of these new realities. Please know that we are aware of the closures, layoffs, uncertainty and general strain that this has placed on your family. Because of this, we feel it is critical that our Catholic School System remains robust and vital at the exact time you need it most.

Governor Abbott’s decree yesterday does apply to all schools in Texas, and our Catholic schools are therefore closed through at least April 3rd . I know that many of you have already received information from your principals regarding that news. Our goal is to be back in our physical buildings as quickly as we can be, provided that it is safe to do so. Our contingency plan, however, will allow us to maintain distance and eLearning for as long as is necessary. Even as you read this, our principals are ramping up changes to their instructional schedules, creating new trainings for our teachers, and working to recreate the communal nature of our schools remotely. We will continue to partner with community services and you will be getting frequent updates from your principals in terms of resources, assistance and encouragement.

The Catholic Schools’ Office has redeployed all of our efforts to support the initiatives of our schools. We will be working to ensure that the learning you have come to expect will continue and that you will have support to keep your family safe and educated. All instruction is being reviewed to ensure that each day will count toward attendance, TEA standards and TCCBED requirements. In short, this disruption, no matter how long it lasts, will not prevent us from achieving the curriculum and accreditation goals that are necessary for graduation, grade-level promotion or other learning.

Because of how quickly everything is changing, we are not going to speculate about anything beyond the Governor’s immediate declaration and we will hold off on cancelations and any non-critical decision for as long as it is prudent to do so. Just know that we are thinking about the coming events, planning for each eventuality, and will continue to send updates when it is appropriate. We are also aware that you are getting these types of communications from various sources so we will only update you when we have new, relevant information to share.

The Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Dallas are full of people with hope to bring. We are excited, energized and eager to be back together as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we are on your team and confident that we can continue to serve you. Have hope! We are not a people in darkness; the Lord who is our light will lead us through these trying times.

Respectfully,
Matthew Vereecke
Superintendent