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QUIK-CLICK GUIDE
When You Lose Your Job
Your Response
What to Do First
How to Adjust Your Income and Expenses
The Spiritual Challenge
What You Can Do
Prayers for the Unemployed
A
Reflection on Being
Unemployed
Forum for Unemployed People
Resources
Local Agencies
How We Can
Help
"Being out of work or dependent on public or private
assistance for a prolonged period undermines the freedom
and creativity of the person and his family and social
relationships, causing great psychological and spiritual
suffering. I would like to remind everyone, especially
governments engaged in boosting the world's economic
and social assets, that the primary capital to be
safeguarded
and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity...."
Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in veritate
(2009). #25.
Information for People
Who Have Lost Their Jobs
When You Lose Your Job
Losing your job is a traumatic experience
which may have serious and sometimes catastrophic economic,
personal -- and spiritual -- consequences.
The first thing you should know if you have recently been laid
off or lost your job is that there is no one thing you can do to
cope with the loss of regular employment.
A
constructive and successful response requires a variety of
efforts, designed to address the various economic, personal
and spiritual challenges which accompany being unemployed.
For example, finding a new job is obviously a high priority--but finding a new job may take time. In the meantime, you
also need to address the other social, personal and economic
concerns that arise when you are unemployed.
Click here for a
guide to what you should do first.
Your Response
Being laid off or losing your job shatters dreams and betrays expectations; in many
cases it suddenly threatens to destroy everything an individual
or couple has
worked years to establish and maintain.
The experience of losing your job creates a wide variety of powerful and
sometimes conflicting emotions. You may feel angry,
dismayed, confused, embarrassed, ashamed, even guilty. You may feel
like a failure. You may feel like people you trusted have
rejected or betrayed you. You may feel like a victim of
injustice or prejudice, a victim of systems and powers beyond
your control. You may experience an unexpected loss of self-confidence, self-respect, self-esteem
or self-integrity. You may blame yourself or others--or
both.
You may act out some of these feelings in angry or defiant
behavior, or you may try to suppress these feelings and become
despondent and depressed. It is important to
recognize that any or all of these feelings are perfectly
natural and often well-founded. In any case, it is
important to identify and talk about these feelings in an honest
and constructive way with people you trust. Pretending
that these feelings do not exist or are not valid will only
complicate your response to the many challenges which come with
not having a regular job.
Click here for
suggestions on how to adjust your income and expenses
The Spiritual Challenge
For people of faith, losing a job may also raise serious
questions of a spiritual nature: doubts about Gods
faithfulness, the value of religious faith, the efficacy of
prayer, or the sincerity of the church community. While some
individuals find comfort and courage in their religious
convictions under such circumstances, others feel betrayed or
embarrassed. Some are tempted to abandon active
participation in a faith community; others, who have been
estranged or distant, may wish to become more active.
These too are legitimate and natural feelings.
If you are a person of faith who has been laid off
or lost their job, it is important to remember two things:
Religious faith is
never a guarantee that bad things will not happen, even though
we are sometimes led to believe that it is. Faith is the
conviction that all will eventually be well, no matter what
happens, because God loves us and God is at work in Creation--often working through us to fashion a kingdom of justice and
peace. Faith is what enables us to respond with
determination and hope when we experience painful, inexplicable
and unwelcome personal tragedies like losing a job.
Prayer is not an
appeal for some magical answer
to our problems.
In its deepest sense, prayer is an expression of our conviction
that we are the sons and daughters of a God who loves us, who
cares about us, and who wishes the very best for us. It is
an expression of our desire to work with God's grace to
face our problems, confident that God cares about us and will not stop loving,
inspiring and supporting us. The cross reminds us that
this may involve hard work and hard times, but Jesus'
resurrection assures us that ultimate victory is never in doubt.
It is
also important to remember that difficult situations and hard
times like losing a job are not an expression of God's
displeasure, or God's punishment for past failures.
What You Can Do
If you are a person of faith who is struggling
spiritually because you have lost your job, here are
some general suggestions which you might find helpful:
Set aside time each day for prayer
and reflection.
Losing your job and coping with all of the repercussions of not
having regular employment can be overwhelming. Moreover,
finding a new job often requires reassessing important
assumptions, choices and values which have guided your life's
work. It is important to spend some time each day looking
at how you are coping with these challenges. More
importantly, it is helpful to look beyond the immediate crisis
and to stay focused on the
big picture.
In the immediate aftermath of a
traumatic experience, many people lose the will or the ability
to actually say prayers. In that case, this is a time
for developing a new way to pray by sitting quietly and letting
God speak to you. Be attentive to the various ways,
occasions, and circumstances in which you might be hearing God's
inspiration for the first time.
Some
people keep a journal during difficult times to record thoughts,
feelings and impressions which might reveal God's presence and
direction in their lives. Others discover the value of joining a
prayer group, participating in daily Eucharist or other public
prayer like a holy hour, or using a prescribed form of private
prayer such as the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary or centering
prayer.
Click here for more
information about local prayer groups
Continue to participate as fully as possible in the spiritual
and sacramental life of the faith community.
In some cases, unemployed persons
find it difficult to remain actively involved in a parish
community, especially if they feel other members may be judging
them for their failure or seem completely unaware--or
unconcerned--about their personal suffering.
It is helpful
to remember in either case that most members of the faith
community have (or eventually will)
suffer painful disappointments, losses and failures in their own lives.
They may be unsure of what to say or do to acknowledge your
personal situation, but their continued presence in the faith community is a reminder
that our shared faith helps all of us survive crises
like losing a job.
Participation in the spiritual and sacramental life of the
Catholic community reminds us that other people share our
conviction that God's love, care and
grace will help us survive any crisis, including this one, even
if the community's conviction does not translate into direct
expressions of encouragement and support.
Seek the support and advice of good friends, a
trusted personal confidant, or a wise spiritual director.
People who have lost their job often feel abandoned, rejected
and isolated. It is important under these circumstances to
make a deliberate effort to maintain personal
relationships, especially with your spouse, children, close
family members and good friends. This is important even
though you may be preoccupied with all of the other challenges
involved in coping with the loss of a job and finding a new one.
Under these circumstances, some people find it helpful to choose
a particular individual -- a good friend, personal confidant
or spiritual director -- to meet with regularly as long as the
crisis continues. This person can help encourage, support
and guide you; he or she can help you stay focused on the big
picture. This confidant or guide should be someone you can be honest with and
whose opinion you trust. (If you are married, this person
should not be of the opposite gender.)
Finally, make a
serious effort to attend to your personal, emotional and mental
health.
Maintain healthy eating habits, exercise regularly, get
sufficient rest, take time to relax and recreate, stay socially
connected and emotionally available to family and friends.
Stay active; resist the temptation to stay at home, watching TV,
playing video games, or searching the Internet. Take time to notice and appreciate the many small (and sometimes
not so small) blessings which you receive or observe from day to
day.
Although you are preoccupied with lots of routine tasks and
special challenges, make a deliberate effort to notice and
appreciate the beauty of nature and the awesome wonder of the
universe we live in. Our faith assures us that we are not
small, insignificant and meaningless accidents in God's
Creation. We are the reason for Creation, and we
are --each one of us--meant to inherit the eternal Kingdom which
God is creating in our midst.
When necessary, don't hesitate to consult with your doctor, a
mental health professional, or a counselor whose expertise and
experience can help you respond more positively and effectively
to the overwhelming challenges of losing your job and finding a
new one.
Like any other personal crisis, losing your job
may have a serious impact on your personal and spiritual life.
It may challenge your understanding of faith, test your
relationship with God, or alter your relationship to the Church.
However, it can also become an opportunity for an even
deeper, stronger, more enriching spiritual life. As in most matters
related to faith, the real challenge is to continue learning to grow
and change.
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Prayers for the Unemployed
The Lord's Prayer
In difficult circumstances the familiar words of the Lord's
Prayer -- "your will be done" ... "our daily bread" ... "deliver
us from evil" -- often take on a new sense of meaning.
Our Father, who art
in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
May your Kingdom come,
and your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
now and forever. Amen.
Prayer for Employment
God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and
guidance as I
look for suitable employment.
I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path,
and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this
quest.
I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me,
but I
need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.
Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search,
but rather grant
me the grace I seek so that I may return to you with
praise and
thanksgiving
for your gracious assistance.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Adapted from:
Catholic Online
Prayer to St. Joseph, Patron of Workers
O Saint Joseph,
we pray to you for those who are out of work,
and for all who want to earn their living or support their
families.
You who are the patron of workers,
grant that unemployment may
vanish from our ranks;
that all those who are ready to work may
put their strength and abilities
in serving their fellowmen and
earn a just salary.
You are the patron of families;
do not let those who have
children to support and raise lack the
necessary means to do so.
Have pity on our brothers and sisters held down in unemployment
and
poverty because of sickness, social disorder, greed or
injustice.
Guide our political leaders and captains of industry to find new and
just
solutions.
May each and every one of your children on Earth have the joy of
contributing, according to their abilities, to the common prosperity by an
honorable
livelihood.
Grant that we may all share together in the abundant goods God
has
given us and that we may never forget those even more
disadvantaged
than we are.
Amen.
Adapted from:
Catholic Prayerbook
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A Reflection on Being
Unemployed
Read and reflect quietly on this passage from the Gospel according to John:
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from
Cana in Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two others of his
disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They
said to him, "We also will come with you." So they went out and
got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the
disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to
them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered
him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something." So they cast it, and were not able
to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple
whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his
garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The
other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from
shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the
fish.
When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish
on it and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish
you just caught." So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net
ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though
there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast." And none of the
disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they realized
it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it
to them, and in like manner the fish. [John 21:2-13]
Use these questions for personal reflection, prayer or a small
group discussion:
Do you recognize any similarities between the disciples in
this Gospel account
and an unemployed person like yourself?
Can you identify the disciples' sense of failure with your
own?
Jesus told the disciples to cast their net on the other side
of the boat. What
might he suggest that you do under present
circumstances?
Why do you think the disciples responded as they did: was it
faith or
desperation
which caused them to follow the stranger's advice?
This experience, which might easily have ended in disaster,
ends instead with a
celebration. Can you imagine when, where and
how you might celebrate when
the crisis of unemployment passes?
Where, when or how do you see and hear the Lord's
encouragement and support
expressed most concretely and helpfully in your own life?
How would you summarize the insight, wisdom or lesson
contained in this
Gospel account?
Click here for
more reflections on work and unemployment
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Share Your
Experience and Advice
Are you unemployed? Have you been unemployed in the past?
How are you coping with the personal, emotional, practical and
spiritual challenges of being unemployed? Where have you
found the most helpful assistance and support? What tips
or suggestions would you offer to people who are facing
unemployment today?
Share your experiences, insights and suggestions in our Forum.
Click here for the
Forum page
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Resources for
Those Who
Have Lost Their Job
Websites
The
websites of the following organizations provide a variety of
resources on how to deal with the practical challenges of losing
a job and searching for a new job:
Iowa
Workforce Development
Iowa State Extension Service
American
Federation of Labor/Unemployment Lifeline
Working America
Career One
Stop/Service Locator
National Employment Law Project
Pamphlets and
Brochures
Request a copy of the following pamphlets and brochures
from the Director of Adult Faith Formation (email:
DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us):
Job-Seeking After a Layoff
Landing a Job--Tips for a Successful Job Search
Coping with Job Transition
Making a Family Budget
138 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Living
Stress Management--Tips for Daily Living
Your Attitude and You
Online Articles
Blessed Are the Unemployed
(Beliefnet)
Coping Well with Unemployment
(Colorado State Extension)
Financial Crisis Support Center (Beliefnet)
How to Deal with Life After Layoff
(eHow.com)
How to Deal with Unemployment
(About.com)
How to Survive
Layoffs
(Beliefnet)
Making Peace with Personal Debt (Beliefnet)
Postive Steps in a New Direction
(Beliefnet)
The Prison of Want--How to Break Free (Ethics.com)
So You've Lost Your Job
(Interfaith Worker Justice)
Stress--Taking Charge/Unemployment
(Iowa State Extension)
A Survival Guide for the Unemployed
(MSN Money)
Surviving Hard Economic Times
(Everyday Catholic)
Ten Prayers During Difficult Economic Times (Beliefnet)
Ten Tips for the Suddenly Unemployed (Beliefnet)
Understanding the Loss in Job Loss
(Iowa State Extension)
Helpful Books
Balancing Your Life--Setting Personal Goals.
Paul Stevens. Resource Publications, 1996.
0893903752
On-the-Job Spirituality--Finding God in Work.
Marianne E. Roche. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2002.
9780867164565
God on the Job--Finding God Who Waits at Work.
Thomas Smith. Paulist Press, 1995. 0809135361
The Job Hunter's Spiritual Companion.
William Carver. Innisfree Press, 1998. 1880913305.
The Reinvention of Work--A New Vision of Livelihood for Our
Time.
Matthew Fox. HarperSanFrancisco, 1994. 0060629185,
Soul at Work--Reflections on a Spirituality of Working.
Barbara Smith-Moran. St. Mary's Press, 1997. 9780884893967.
Spirituality@Work--Ten
Ways to Balance Your Life On-the-Job.
Gregory F.A. Pierce. Loyola Press, 2001.
0829413499.
The Spirituality of Work--Unemployed Workers.
Joseph Gosse. ACTA Publications, 1993. 0879460881
You Are More Than Your Job--Making a Living vs. Making a Life.
Earl Harrison. Deaconess Press, 1993.
0925190705.
Your Soul at Work--Five Steps to a More Fulfilling Career and
Life.
Nicholas W. Weiler. Paulist Press. 1587680068.
Local Agencies and
Services
Click here for a
list of local agencies and services
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How We Can Help
The Catholic
Parishes in Waterloo are eager to encourage and support our
sisters and brothers who have been laid off or lost their job.
The
parishes can provide opportunities for personal and small group
prayer, pastoral counseling and spiritual direction, emergency
help, and information about resources and opportunities in the
local community.
If you or someone you
know has lost their job and is interested in the encouragement
and support of the Catholic parishes in Waterloo, please contact
a member of the parish staff or:
Director of Adult Faith Formation
320 Mulberry Street, Waterloo IA 50703
Phone: 319-234-9912
Email:
DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
Posted 07.10.09
Last Update
02.19.10
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