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Responding to questions from parishes and schools, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said it will be developing guidance for employees and students on vaccine mandates and COVID-19 testing after the federal government issues formal rules.

“Prior to the publication of Archdiocesan guidance, parishes and Catholic schools should hold off on issuing a policy on vaccine mandates for employees and students,” the Office of the Chancellor for Civil Affairs and Office for the Mission of Catholic Education said in a Sept. 14 memo to pastors, parochial administrators, canonical administrators, heads of Catholic schools and business managers.

Meanwhile, archdiocesan officials encourage employees to get vaccinated, the memo said.

On Sept. 9, President Joe Biden announced his proposal for a nationwide vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees. State and local governments have made their own statements about employers and vaccine mandates.

The president has directed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop a federal emergency temporary standard for the vaccine. The archdiocese plans to wait until OSHA releases its standard before issuing its own guidance, the memo said.

“OSHA has indicated that it expects to issue the new ETS in the ‘coming weeks,’” the memo said. “There is also the possibility that the ETS will end up being challenged in court; this could potentially delay the implementation date. We will be following this closely and we will be issuing guidance for parishes and schools when this new ETS becomes clearer.”

As part of its efforts, the archdiocese is consulting with Catholic Mutual insurance, legal counsel and other Catholic entities, the memo said.

“We need to ensure that we carefully consider all the data and are not reactionary in engaging recent questions about vaccine mandates and COVID-19 testing,” the memo said.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has been an advocate for vaccination as an act of love and concern for one another, often citing Pope Francis’ encouragement, as well.