"This Easter Monday began with the sad news that storms swept through multiple states in the South overnight, killing at least 19 people at the time of this statement across Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and South Carolina," they said.

In an appearance on the CBS news magazine, "60 Minutes" Easter Sunday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York reflected on what Easter has meant for people of faith during the pandemic.

The Knights of Columbus is providing funding to food banks in several American cities to help deliver food to those in need during the pandemic.

Catechumens, expecting to be received into the Catholic Church during this year's Easter Vigil, will unfortunately have to wait due to the pandemic.

The law also includes a provision for church employees who are laid off from entities that do not participate in a state or a private unemployment insurance program to receive jobless benefits.

While the Covid-19 pandemic provokes a series of unprecedented measures, other ongoing challenges to human life and dignity—drought, famine, armed conflict and poverty among them—are not offering a time-out from the suffering they inflict.