Prayers for Church Families

In most peoples budgets the tithe if the first thing to go, if it exists at all, in an economic downturn. I know more people in ministry than I can count who have lost their jobs, or have not been paid in months and their families are on the verge of homelessness and their children are going without healthy food. I know parishes who have stopped paying their mortgages and/or their utility bills to try desperately to pay their employees. One good friend of mine, an elementary school teacher, has not been paid in 3 months and yet he has still been working without pay.

Most lay catholic employees of the church that I know are willing to suffer the lose of a paycheck or other financial limitations in solidarity with those in their parishes who go without and are suffering themselves. However it is heart wrenching to see these mostly young families with terrible school debt who have already given up a life of material things see what little they receive for their thankless jobs serving the Lord taken away from them. Please pray for a generous spirit among those who are still financially blessed who do not give to their churches like they should. Please pray for the families who work for the church who are going without food because these churches have no money to pay their employees. The summer months and the poor economy are hitting parishes really hard.

In our own suffering we look to the cross of Christ, who died to redeem the world, and in our suffering we see hope and we know that our suffering is not in vain, but draws us closer to the Lord.