Many who have stocks and shares, and others who have invested their life savings so as to be assured of a good pension on their retirement, now find that they have lost practically everything and what should have assured them a comfortable and secure living into their old age is now worthless. Trustworthy businessmen who were allowed overdrafts, now find that the very banks who were so insistent in lending as much capital as they required, are now refused any financial help whatsoever.

We are all very much aware how the banks gambolled with our money to enhance their wealth and power. But things went drastically wrong, when all the deposits and investments of the hard-working public were squandered by irresponsible lending and riotous living!  Top executives paid themselves millions a year and feathered their pension nest egg with more millions. Our money was spent on private jets, corporations banquets and so many other excesses. Even at this late date, so many executives and managers are still rich at the expense of millions of their costumers who may now have to live their lives in poverty or see their businesses go into liquidation.

Most countries in the world are now suffering a similar situation, and some of the most famous and well-known manufacturers are sadly disappearing one by one from the world scene because the banks will no longer help or lend. Despite the billions of pounds that have been poured into them  by the government, they still refuse to help those in urgent need.

Let us remember fervently in our masses and prayers many who are suffering  because of the  tragic financial situation— those whose businesses and livelihoods are in peril, people who may have lost their jobs and still have mortgages on their homes to pay off, young families who may no longer have a weekly wage coming in to their home and will have great difficult budgeting for their daily needs. Millions of people are now suffering as a consequence of the greed and irresponsibility of those who were trusted with our finances. The situation is now becoming very serious and many of us already know people who have been affected by it, or may be affected by it ourselves.  The most important contribution we can make as Christians is to pray with all earnestness to Almighty God that he may guide and help the world through these difficult times, and in particular we pray for the members of our own community who already are worried about their future and those who may no longer be receiving a regular wage or a salary.