Loyola Press is a happy place to be.  We’re dealing with a tough economy, but we’re doing it together.  There have been budgetary restrictions, but so far we have not had to let anybody go.

Not everyone is as lucky.  We get emails and other messages from people at parishes, schools and other places telling us that they have been laid off after many years of faithful service.  The first thing I did this morning was to respond to one such person who wrote asking for our prayers.  I assured him that I would pray for him and remember him especially at our Community Mass this evening but, even as I wrote the words, they seemed cheap, easy and grossly inadequate.

I don’t want to utter platitudes like, “I’m so sorry” and “I’m sure everything will work out fine.”  But what can you say to people who are devastated to find themselves without work?  I feel guilty that I am (relatively) safe and secure and don’t know what to do.