It would be a powerful outward sign of unity in the church if the pope emeritus and those who advise him sought to avoid situations in which his public comments will be inevitably misused to suggest a division that Benedict has never wanted.

"It's an act of offering, knowing that God is there, taking charge of all of us. Our faith is not an idea. It's not just an ideology. There is nothing magical. It's a relationship with a person," he said.

The ruling came soon after the church asked the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an emergency order stopping Gov. Andy Beshear's mass gathering ban from being enforced against religious services.

”Are we in the sacred enterprise of accompaniment and engagement and dialogue?” the cardinal said. “When you do it, you risk criticism on both sides.”

On the state level, governors are also presenting their plans to gradually reopen. Mike DeWine, governor of Ohio, for example, presented his plans April 27 to begin reopening.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Trump chose to politicize the call, which is his wont, but the bishops made a good tactical choice.