Health

A group of U.S. bishops expressed sorrow over disparities in infection and death rates among African Americans in U.S. communities.

The CDC has offered recommendations in new federal plans designed to help restaurants, schools, churches and businesses safely reopen as states look to gradually lift their coronavirus restrictions.

The Italian bishops' conference accused the government of adopting plans to ease the country's COVID-19 lockdown rules in a way that "arbitrarily excludes the possibility of celebrating Mass with the people."

The Mexican bishops' conference has issued ethical guidelines as the COVID-19 crisis worsens in Mexico and medical staff are potentially forced to make life-and-death decisions on which patients receive treatment, and which ones are denied access to equipment like ventilators.

The wages of all essential workers should be immediately raised to at least $15 an hour, with government subsidies to businesses that need them.

The virus outbreak has put much of American life on hold, but the nation's culture wars seem immune from the pandemic.

The Knights of Columbus, based in New Haven, announced April 7 it is launching a multimillion-dollar food drive and delivery operation to support the nation's food banks, which are reporting unprecedented numbers of people in need of food as the coronavirus pandemic has forced people out of work now for weeks.

Officials at some of the country's largest Catholic organizations have welcomed the assistance provided under the massive $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act. At the same time, however, the officials called for additional emergency relief and key policy changes so that they can better respond to the burgeoning health crisis.