Built on the grotto where Christians believe Jesus was born, the church joins a list of prominent tourist and holy sites to shutter their doors in the wake of rising fears over the spread of coronavirus.

Catholic Relief Services, which works in more than 110 countries, is "restricting all but the most mission-critical travel, with contingency operational plans in place should the disease take hold in any of the countries where the organization operates."

Ste. Anne, Detroit's oldest parish, is given the distinction of being a minor basilica.

Dioceses nationwide are taking precautions to guard against the spread of the coronavirus and reminding parishioners to take commonsense steps related to hygiene in their personal lives.

His statement came in response to angry reaction to the Mass by Robert Hoatson, co-founder of Road to Recovery, an sexual abuse victims' advocacy group.

On March 4, the court hears oral arguments in June Medical Services v. Russo, a challenge to a Louisiana law, passed in 2014, that requires abortion providers to have “active admitting privileges” at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility.