By Sam Aitchison
The Church is Alive!
On my university campus, meeting someone new usually entails two questions: “Where are you from?” and “What are you studying?” When I respond, “Finance and Catholic Theology,” I usually get a reply along the lines of “Wow, that’s interesting” or “I’ve never heard of that.” I find these responses interesting. It seems that for many people, faith and finances are intuitively at odds.
People’s initial reactions make sense to me. Some massive corporations may lack sustainability and will do anything to maximize profits and shareholder value. Businesses are regulated by the law and government and do not adhere to a specific religious or philosophical tradition. There can be a transactional nature to business or, worse, an exploitative one.
I recently took a philosophy class titled “Business Ethics and the Common Good.” This course explored various ethical and philosophical theories and applied them to real-world business situations where often care for people and profit are mutually exclusive.
One of our class readings was Cardinal Peter Turkson’s “Vocation of the Business Leader: a Reflection.” This reflection really stood out to me, specifically the line, “At the very foundation of the Church’s social tradition stands the conviction that each person, regardless of age, condition, or ability, is an image of God and so endowed with an irreducible dignity or value” (Turkson, 32).
Growing up in a Catholic environment, I knew and believed that everyone was imbued with inherent dignity and worth. Cardinal Turkson’s writing served as a great reminder for me that any amount of money does not begin to compete with the value of each person in the eyes of God.
Living in our secular and often transactional American culture, I’ve found it easy to overlook someone serving food, dropping off a package or cleaning a building. Who am I to think I’m too busy or too important to give the person in front of me the care and attention they deserve? Each person is a child of God and very special. I’ve been reflecting recently on how I can strive to give each person I encounter the time and attention they deserve as a child of God.
It is important to note that I don’t think money is a bad thing. Much good can come from its use in ways that serve others. There are donors who fund Catholic schools and higher education institutions, giving young people like me the opportunity to grow spiritually, personally and professionally. There are donors who fund nonprofits that provide food, water and shelter to those in need. There are people who oversee the finances of schools and nonprofits, ensuring prudent management and investment. These people serve a vital mission in the life of the Church.
I pray and imagine a world where faith and finances are not at odds and where corporations manage people, profit and the planet in a dignified way. I believe working towards this reality begins with us.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a document nearly 30 years ago that still provides an excellent reflection on economic justice: “Economic Justice: A Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy” (https://tinyurl.com/ 9h4tsech). It is worth reading.
Finally, in whatever setting — private, public, nonprofit or for profit — we should ask ourselves, “How can we more fully uphold everyone’s dignity and worth in our interactions in the marketplace?
(Sam Aitchison is a senior at Saint Louis University in Missouri. Contact him at samaitchison6@gmail.com.)
