My last trip to Washington, D.C. was the very first week of March. It was the first time in a long time that I didn’t visit my friends at the Little Sisters of the Poor there. I had, in fact, promised one of the residents — Carl, a vet who promised me he was not leaving anytime soon — I’d visit. But the Little Sisters were already in lock down, as they run homes for the elderly poor, and they were taking the coronavirus warning seriously.


Even taking precautions, they’ve lost eleven people to coronavirus in their Newark, Del., home. Sister Constance Veit, LSP, is the director of communications for the Little Sisters — a position that took on a whole new level of engagement when they found themselves going to court during the Obama administration — they are now on their second Supreme Court case, which will be heard by telephone on May 6.

As part of the National Review Institute’s quarantine-time series with leaders in faith, culture, and civil society, Sr. Constance made time to talk about life behind the walls at the Little Sisters’s convent. A few weeks ago, after the first of the residents died in Newark, she moved with another sister from Baltimore to help out there. She talks about who they are, how they are doing, what they are doing, and how we can help. She may help us along the way with faith in these trying times.

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