The fiction of Catholic writers (and their lapsed Catholic brethren) has been described as "an invitation to mystery, not mastery, to communion, not control."

The ordination of a transitional deacon in Kansas shows how even a pandemic can't stop one of the church's cherished rituals, even if it sets limits on participation by family and loved ones.

Not only are public Masses suspended and people lack that weekly touchpoint with their parish, people also have lost jobs or been furloughed, and some are cutting back on expenditures because they fear for the future.

“Some of our individual hospitals are experiencing losses upwards of $1 million to $2 million [per] day, while some of our health systems are reporting revenue losses in the range of $200-$600 million per month.”

A Catholic school uniform company in Oregon, in an effort to assist medical personnel dealing with the pandemic, are making and providing face masks for their work.

While the pandemic is being handled on the home front, many U.S.-based aid groups are working to assist the poor and migrant communities around the world in dealing with the crisis.