MONDAY, MARCH 16
FED RATE TO 0% The Federal Reserve met Sunday and announced that it dropped its benchmark interest rate to 0%. Additionally, the Fed launched $700 billion in quantitative easing, which is large-scale purchasing of bonds to add money into the economy. READ
CDC: POSTPONE EVENTS The CDC is recommending gatherings of 50 or more people over the next 8 weeks be postponed or canceled. The CDC stated: “Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.” READ
GOVERNORS CLOSE BARS Governors in Ohio, Illinois, California, and Massachusetts announced that bars and restaurants would be closed or otherwise restricted. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the nation’s largest public school system would be shut down. READ
DEM DEBATE Former Vice President Joe Biden dominated the one-on-one debate against Bernie Sanders, his biggest remaining challenger. Sanders wanted to defend his signature Medicare for All plan and other parts of his progressive economic agenda. Biden kept his focus on coronavirus and launched jabs at President Trump’s management of the crisis. “We’ve got to shut this president up right now,” Biden said. “It is unacceptable to be blabbering with unfactual information that is confusing the general public.” READ
AMERICAN DEPENDENCE William Upton says that actions by telecom giant Huawei and the coronavirus outbreak show the need for the USA to become economically independent. “These two threats have laid bare the unsettling fact that the American economy has become so heavily globalized that we are unable to ensure consistent and safe supply of everything from pharmaceuticals to consumer electronics.” READ
PARDON FOR FLYNN? President Trump tweeted that he is “strongly considering” a full pardon of Gen. Michael Flynn after news that the FBI “lost” pertinent records – which Trump denounced as “convenient.” READ
BEAUTY With large gatherings shut down, New York’s Metropolitan Opera is offering nightly “Met Opera Streams” on its official website to audiences worldwide. You can listen to Bizet’s “Carmen” tonight at 7:30 pm ET. Each performance will remain online for an additional 20 hours after it airs. READ
CORONAVIRUS Fr. Alejandro Trejo in Washington state is the first Catholic priest in the U.S. known to be diagnosed with coronavirus. “Father Alex continues to recover well and we are appreciative of the prayers of many, many parishioners, and the excellent care of the hospital staff,” said Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima. READ
EASTER The Vatican announced that because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Pope’s Easter liturgies will be closed to the public. Italy is currently under a nationwide lockdown through at least April 3 to slow the spread of coronavirus. READ
SAINT OF THE DAY Together, Saint Clement Mary and his fellow Redemptorist Thaddeus preached five sermons per day while working in Warsaw, Poland. But this didn’t seem to overtask Saint Clement Mary, who eventually faced arrests, imprisonment, and exile. He kept on going until his death at the age of 68. READ
DAILY READINGS “Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” (Ps 42:2) READ
MUSEUMS Edward Savage’s The Washington Family quickly became a veritable icon of our early national pride. It’s part of an online tour of the National Gallery of Art – one of 12 famous museums offering virtual tours for those stuck at home. SHARE
