The Washington Post/On Faith section tells us about one taxpayer-funded program raising questions about church-state separation. Though the paper reports that in this case:
As unconstitutional, tax-funded, faith-based initiatives go, this one is relatively neutral and inexpensive.
This decades-old tradition allows the 228 Pennsylvania state legislators to choose from a wide-variety of holy books ranging in price from $30-$90. [...]

As we see new examples daily of government involvement in privately-held businesses, here’s a take on the Vatican’s historical position on socialism in the American Chronicle.
“…no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist”
Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno (120), May 15, 1931
The comment was controversial at the time and still is. Lots of people think [...]

Catholic News Service reports the global economic crisis has contributed to a delay in Pope Benedict XVI’s new social encyclical, “not for financial reasons, but because the crisis has demonstrated how important and how complicated the topic is.”
If the encyclical “does not deal competently with the economic reality, it cannot be credible,” Pope Benedict said Feb. [...]

A modern-day demonstration that faith is a gift that keeps on giving, the Omaha World-Herald reports annual fish fries “flourish in economic chill.”
Aiming to feed multitudes, organizers hope to raise money for charitable projects. The paper said: 
Good food gets ‘em in the door,and a good cause doesn’t hurt.

Catholic News Service reports that during his annual message marking Lent, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony “told Catholics that the country’s economic downturn has caused many people to already experience the season of Lent,” having begun in 2007 when people began losing their jobs.
In previous years, “when life and our financial security were far more predictable,” [...]

In a difficult economy, refugees who have fled to the U.S. are facing a new reality. The Houston Chronicle looks at the “major influx of refugees” facing a smaller job pool. 
“We are feeling the consequences of the downturn in the economy, like everyone else is,” said Oleg Jolick, refugee resettlement director for the Catholic Charities [...]

Check out this Lentian “Rant,” calling for a leaner-meaner government:
In periods of downsizing and restructuring, companies often become leaner and more efficient. If not, they tend to go out of business. One could look at it as a sort of “fasting” period. Government, however, continues to grow in good economies and bad.
Perhaps if government learned [...]

For those who have already lost a lot this year, finding something to sacrifice this Lent might be more of a challenge.
But for some, these tough times are a lesson unto themselves, providing instruction to the faithful that is far more effective than giving up chocolate, booze or Twitter.

”It refocuses one’s objectives and beliefs, really,” [...]

Archbishop of Denver Charles Chaput Tuesday spoke to 100 business, banking and legal leaders in Toronto, urging them to “light the marketplace” with generosity, justice and honesty.
Zenit has the full text of the speech, which he kicked off with a joke:
I usually like to start my breakfast comments with some humor, but when you’re speaking to [...]

The New York Post says one Queens church is playing a kind of hardball with congregants, publishing “detailed breakdowns of members’ weekly donations” in its weekly bulletin.
“I don’t like it,” said Pat McGlinckey, 56. “It’s like they’re hitting below the belt to get us to give more.”
“It just left a bad taste in my mouth,” [...]