About three-quarters of U.S. Catholic parishes applied for government paycheck protection

About 13,000 of the country’s 17,000 Catholic parishes applied for the government’s small-business stimulus program, and about half have so far received the requested funds, according to the church’s group for diocesan fiscal managers.

The multitrillion-dollar Cares Act, which took effect in mid-April, covers employees’ salaries for private companies and nonprofit organizations through the Small Business Administration. The government money is distributed through banks and is like a loan — except the loan is forgiven if the money is used to pay workers’ salaries.