Oregon Catholic Press, which publishes much of the nation's Catholic liturgical music, is working with liturgists and pastoral musicians around the country to find creative and safe ways to sing.

The money comes from an emergency fund established using part of the proceeds the bishops' conference collects each year from citizens' tax designations.

While most of the dioceses with the highest infection rates are densely populated areas along the Northeast Corridor, Catholic Extension said Dodge City and Amarillo are home to industrial farming and meatpacking plants that were susceptible to outbreaks.

With Lebanon celebrating its centenary this year, Cardinal Rai said perhaps it "is passing through the harshest stage" of its existence.

The Chinese government recognizes five official religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism. Members of each of these religious groups must register before they can participate in religious services.

Bishop Peter Lin Jiashan was officially installed as head of the Fuzhou Diocese in Fujian province. Since 1997, Bishop Lin had refused to register with the government, and thus had not been recognized by Chinese authorities.

Archbishop Carlson, who has headed the St. Louis Archdiocese since 2009, is 75, the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn in their resignation to the pope. Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts, will be his successor.

The gradual opening of churches or planned openings -- with limits on congregation size -- have for the most part come as cities and states announce a gradual reopening of a variety of what they deem as "nonessential" public and private entities, including churches, as the threat of COVID-19 has subsided.

Fears are running extremely high that at the current pace of infection, with the number of cases and fatalities doubling every two weeks, the pandemic is headed for a peak by the end of July.

"We ask all people to come together in solidarity to forge a path forward -- free of discrimination and hate -- for our nation," said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.