Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), recently commented on the Paycheck Protection Program and the use of funds for Catholic churches in the United States.

The USCCB posted Coakley's statement on its website on July 10 as he explained the important role that the Catholic Church serves in countless communities across the nation. 

“Each year, our parishes, schools and ministries serve millions of people in need, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion,” Coakley said in his statement. 

| http://www.usccb.org/

Coakley said that COVID-19 accentuated the needs of the individuals who they serve and increased the necessity of certain services that the church already offered. 

“The loans we applied for enabled our essential ministries to continue to function in a time of national emergency,” Coakley said. “In addition, shutdown orders and economic fallout associated with the virus have affected everyone, including the thousands of Catholic ministries – churches, schools, health care and social services – that employ about 1 million people in the United States.”

Through the disbursement of the funding, many churches have had the ability to keep employees on rather than laying them off in the middle of a global pandemic. 

“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to protect the jobs of Americans from all walks of life, regardless of whether they work for for-profit or nonprofit employers, faith-based or secular,” Coakley said. 

While the program has bought many churches much-needed time, there are still over 100 Catholic schools that will be closing. The future remains largely unknown as the virus rages on. 

“We will continue advocating for everyone negatively affected by this terrible pandemic, praying for all the sick, for all who have died and are in mourning, and especially the poor and vulnerable at this time of great need,” Coakley said.