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,” [...]

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 [...]

The New York Times discusses the challenges to humanities programs, and those teaching religion, during a period where more practical vocations fare better in the employment marketplace. The drag on academic endowments has prompted Ivory Tower hiring freezes:
In the last three months at least two dozen colleges have canceled or postponed faculty searches in religion and [...]

Scion of the Baskin-Robbins business, John Robbins, who unwittingly lost his entire fortune in the Madoff scandal waxes philosophical in the face of the immense loss (98% of his wealth). He walked away from the family business 20 years ago in favor of a writing career. Now, he finds himself at the age of 61 finding [...]

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 [...]

In an effort to hold onto withdrawing students, some religious schools are cutting tuition. One Palm Springs area private school is even offering rented textbooks, a savings of $700 a year per student.

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,” [...]

One North Carolina home for recovering alcoholics is threatened by a dearth in donations. The Rocky Mount Telegram reports if the Christian Fellowship Home for men’s board of directors cannot ”raise money to supplement withering donations and a loss in residential fees, the house could close any day.” Executive Director Kirk Scott told the paper:
“The current economic situation [...]

The National Association of Church Business Administration on Friday released a survey of its members to try to answer the question: how is the economic recession impacting congregations? 
“Although the survey found a less-than-dire affect there seems to be a worsening condition than in August of 2008.”
More highlights:
*32 percent said their church was definitely having economy-related financial difficulties, [...]