BOSTON -- Boston College was the recent venue of a major conference on the economy, a high-powered gathering that could not have been more meaningful or timely, coming literally the day after a devastating U.S. Department of Labor report that placed Massachusetts as having the highest percentage of job losses in the nation over the past three years.

According to the report, the Massachusetts employment base has declined 6.2 percent, which translates into more than 200,000 jobs, a stunning number, particularly compared to the reported national average of 1.7 percent. New York and Connecticut were the other two Northeast states in the top 10 for losses -- New York was No. 8 at 3.3 percent and neighboring Connecticut was No. 9 at 3.2 percent.

The current jobless recovery, the debate over open trade, the so-called outsourcing of U.S. jobs to countries with lower wage bases, and the nation's technological future were all themes that ran through the conference.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan delivered the concluding keynote in which he frankly acknowledged today's widespread job insecurity despite a presumed improving economy. He also defended the importance of the global economy and of open markets here and abroad. Finally, he championed what we all know too well -- the defining need to significantly elevate our country's education system to produce the next generation of skilled and competitive workers.

Boston College and Massachusetts Rep. Edward Markey, who served as host of the gathering, are again to be commended for taking leadership on this critical issue of jobs and the economy, particularly for our state. This follows in the highest tradition of the leadership that Boston College has also provided on the ongoing crisis in the Catholic Church through its church in the 21st century initiative.