Catechism for Business in The Pilot

Following A Catechism for Business' article in Zenit earlier this month, The Boston Pilot also chose to feature the book last week.

Read the full article here.

A Catechism for Business Featured by Zenit

Dean Abela's newest book, A Catechism for Business, was featured over the weekend by Zenit, a non-profit news agency whose objective is to report topics and events that are particularly interesting for Christians everywhere.

We invite you to read the full article here.

A Catechism for Business Reached European Audiences

The preeminent English language Catholic news magazine in Europe, The Tablet, publishes In Pursuit of Caring Capitalism, an article by Dean Abela in which he explains to what extent CUA's School of Business and Economics conforms to Pope Francis’ teachings about capitalism.

To learn more about the unique mission of the recently founded School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America please visit http://business.cua.edu/. 

'A Catechism for Business' Makes Summer Reading List from the Prominent Theologian George Weigel

A Catechism for Business, co-edited by Dr. Andrew Abela and Dr. Joseph Capizzi, was published and launched this past March 2014. The book aims to serve as a reference guide for business leaders who want to run their business according to Church teaching while making tough decisions every day. The book takes exact excerpts from Church teaching and applies the excerpts to a topic or question that business leaders often face.

A Catechism for Business has been reviewed and endorsed by John Allen, Francis Cardinal George, Carl Anderson, Patrick Lencioni and many more. Most recently, George Weigel compiled a summer reading list for First Things which included Dean Abela's book.

Please read the full First Things article here. 

Dean Abela Presents A Catechism for Business to Pope Francis

On May 10, 2014, Dean Abela presented a copy of his new book, A Catechism for Business, co-edited with Dr. Joseph Capizzi of the School of Theology and Religious Studies, to Pope Francis.  Dean Abela was in Rome attending the annual conference of the Fondazione Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, a Vatican organization established by Pope St. John Paul II for the promotion of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

                   Dean Abela presenting his book A Catechism for Business to Pope Francis.                   
Photo @ L'Observatore Romano

The conference was focused on whether solidarity and fraternity can be factors in business decisions.  Explicitly stated was the knowledge that “corporate responsibility,” as it is commonly understood, is not enough to address the economic problems of our age.  Rather, the conference brought together prominent business leaders and members of the academic community to discuss the need for a “more dynamic” understanding of fraternity in economics and the practical implications it would have on the business world.  Dean Abela led an interview of five business executives who discussed the application of Catholic solidarity in business decisions.  

A Catechism for Business draws together the Church’s Social Doctrine on business, organized by topic and question.  It serves as a reference guide for Catholic business leaders who wish to deepen their faith and grow in their understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine as applied to business. 

To learn more about A Catechism for Business, please visit the book’s webpage at http://catechismforbusiness.com/

CUA’s School of Business and Economics at the 10th Annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

On May 13, 2014, Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, the School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America, sponsored the 10^th Annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC.  The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast was formed in 2004 to answer Pope St. John Paul II’s call to begin a New Evangelization.  The breakfast has included many notable speakers over the years, including President George W. Bush and Cardinal Raymond Burke. 

This year’s presenters included Dr. Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, and His Eminence Sean Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.  Both spoke about the need for Catholics to be strong witnesses for their Faith.  Professor George focused on the cost of discipleship and encouraged Catholics to live the Gospel and remain strong in their faith in a world which is becoming increasingly hostile to those who truly believe and practice their faith.  Cardinal O’Malley spoke of the need for Catholics to actively evangelize and be missionaries in their communities, often referring to the life of the Servant of God, Dorothy Day. 

CUA’s School of Business and Economics is committed to integrating the Catholic principles of human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the common good with all aspects of business and economics.  We prepare our students to be the business leaders with integrity and conviction that modern society demands.

Seniors Andrew Kueppers, Madeline Llopis, and Cassandra Lim attended the breakfast on behalf of the School of Business and Economics.  All three seniors have received and accepted job offers.  Madeline and Cassie have accepted jobs with KPMG in Washington, DC.  Andrew Kueppers will be working for Travelers Insurance as an accountant.  Andrew is also the recipient of this year’s President’s Award, the highest university award which is presented to a graduating senior each year.  We congratulate these students as they graduate on Saturday May 17^th.

Copies of the new book A Catechism for Business were also available to attendees who visited the exhibitor tables before the breakfast.  The catechism was co-edited by Dr. Andrew Abela, Dean of the School of Business and Economics, and Dr. Joseph Capizzi of the School of Theology and Religious Studies.  A Catechism for Business draws together the Church’s Social Doctrine on business, organized by topic and question.  It serves as a reference guide for Catholic business leaders who wish to deepen their faith and grow in their understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine as applied to business.  To learn more, visit the book’s webpage here: http://catechismforbusiness.cua.edu/

Profit Is Not the Main Purpose of Business

Many in our society hold a common misconception of the real purpose of business.  This misconception is that the sole reason for business is to make a profit.  Similarly, many also believe that profit is an evil, in some cases maybe a necessary evil, but still an evil.  In the following video clip from the book launch for A Catechism for Business, Dr. Abela discusses the purpose of business and the Church’s views on profit.  
 

Profit is not the purpose of business.  It is legitimate and required, but it is not the purpose of business.  The purpose of business is to do some good for some group of people.  Pope John Paul II said in Centesimus Annus, 35, “The purpose of a business firm is not simply to make a profit, but is to be found in its very existence as a community of persons who in various ways are endeavoring to satisfy their basic needs, and who form a particular group at the service of the whole of society.”

Follow this link or watch the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI-q-kIIfrM

 

The Call to Work in Business Is Not an Amoral Calling

A Catechism for Business and the new School of Business and Economics at the Catholic University of America were featured in a National Catholic Register post by Peter Jesserer Smith.  The article examined the school’s mission to transform the way people think about business from a notion of business is an amoral pursuit to an understanding that business is a moral calling which should be grounded in ethics and moral responsibility.  

 

"CUA’s School of Business and Economics is challenging businesses large and small in the 21st-century economy to anchor their business practices in the Catholic Church’s social teachings. Late last month, the school’s dean, Andrew Abela, along with co-editor and professor of moral theology Joseph Capizzi, unveiled the new Catechism for Business, a handbook for businesspeople who want to know the Church’s social doctrine and their obligations to work for a just society.

Abela told the Register in an interview that the whole purpose of the Catechism for Business and the School of Business is ‘to combat this notion that business is amoral."

You can read the entire article by visiting this page.

Dr. Abela and Dr. Capizzi Interviewed in the National Catholic Register

Peter Jesserer Smith at the National Catholic Register interviewed Dr. Abela and Dr. Capizzi about A Catechism for Business. They discussed the need for a business catechism in the modern business world and how the book can be used by business leaders.

You can read the full interview by following the link below.

https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/a-free-market-gets-its-long-overdue-catechism

 

Book Launch at the Catholic Information Center

On Wednesday, March 26, Dean Andrew Abela and Dr. Joseph Cappizzi led a discussion for the book launch of A Catechism for Business.  Over one hundred guests came to the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C for the discussion and reception following.

Dean Abela and Dr. Capizzi explained how they found that Catholic social doctrine on business has developed over many years as the Church has responded to specific issues.  They found that business leaders who were faced with ethical questions in business did not have a guide directing them to the Church’s teachings on these matters.  A Catechism for Business serves as that guide, drawing together Church teachings on business, organized by topic and question.  

Dr. Joseph Capizzi (left) and Dr. Andrew Abela (right).

As the evening progressed, Dean Abela and Dr. Capizzi took questions about the book from the audience and discussed some of the tough questions business leaders frequently face.  For example, A Catechism for Business includes a section about the Church’s teaching on just wage and the responsibility of the business owner to his employees.  The difficulty is that sometimes market wages are lower than what could be considered a just wage.  How then can the Catholic business leader treat his employees fairly while also staying competitive within his industry?  

Abela and Capizzi signing books at the launch.

The answer to this and similar questions is seldom easy.  As Dean Abela reminded the audience, the book is not intended to address easy questions, it deals with tough ethical questions business leaders are likely to face.  While the Church seldom provides a clear yes or no answer on these questions, it does provide the principles that a business leader must then apply to the particular situation.  The final decision is then up to the reader to prayerfully, and sometimes imaginatively, find a solution to the problem according to Catholic social doctrine and balancing the needs of his or her customers, employees and business.  A Catechism for Business provides a starting point for the business leader who is seeking to better understand how Catholic social doctrine should be applied to their challenging everyday decisions.

You are invited to visit the website in the upcoming week to watch a video of the book discussion or listen to a podcast of the event.

To order A Catechism for Business, please visit the online storefront.  

Hobby Lobby Case and A Catechism for Business

Authors Andrew Abela and Joseph Capizzi speak to The Washington Post and National Review Online about corporations and religious freedom, when Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood cases are heard by the Supreme Court today.

To read the full stories, please click the links above.

A Catechism for Business will launch tomorrow in Washington, DC. To learn more about the book and to meet the editors, all are welcome to attend the book launch event at 6:00pm on Wednesday, March 26, 2014. The event will be held at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C.

Business Leadership - A Call to Engage with the World

Catholic social doctrine emphasizes the role each individual plays in contributing directly to the common good.  Pope Francis also addressed this in his recent apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, where the Holy Father addressed both institutional as well as individual failings to serve the poor.  

Certainly, the question of how to help the poor is not an issue which is being ignored by secular society.  It is often contentiously debated, pitting policy makers and commentators against each other.  However, through all the debate surrounding the best policies to improve the lives of the poorest among us, it is often easy to forget the calling that Catholics have to advocate for and live according to Catholic social doctrine. 

The following question, taken from A Catechism for Business, serves as a reminder that we are all called to support Catholic social doctrine and promote the common good. 

Who bears responsibility for fulfilling the principles of Catholic social teaching?

“The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society… is proper to the lay faithful.  As citizens of the State, they are called to take part in public life in a personal capacity.  So they cannot relinquish their participation ‘in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and institutionally the common good.’” –Benedict XVI, Deus caritas est, 29 (quoting John Paul II, Christifideles laici, 42)

“The first act of the Christian business leader, as of all Christians, is to receive; more specifically, to receive what God has done for him or her.  This act of receptivity, particularly for business leaders, can be particularly difficult.  As a group, business leaders tend to be more active than receptive, especially now in a globalized economy, under the effects of sophisticated communications technologies and the financialization of business.  Yet without receptivity in their lives, business leaders can be tempted by the quasi-Nietzschean “superman” complex.  The temptation for some is to regard themselves as determining and creating their own principles, not as receiving them.  Business leaders may only see themselves as creative, innovative, active, and constructive, but if they neglect the dimension of receiving, they distort their place within the world and overestimate their own achievements and work.” – Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vocation of the Business Leader, 66

“It is not the role of the Pastors of the Church to intervene directly in the political structuring and organization of social life.  This task is part of the vocation of the lay faithful, acting on their own initiative with their fellow citizens.  Social action can assume various concrete forms.  It should always have the common good in view and be in conformity with the message of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church.  It is the role of the laity ‘to animate temporal realities with Christian commitment, by which they show that they are witnesses and agents of peace and justice.’”  –Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2442 (586) (quoting John Paul II, Sollicitudo rei socialis, 47)

 

Join Us: March 26th Lecture and Reception at the CIC

 

Join us for a lecture and reception celebrating the newly released work, A Catechism for Business. This book launch event will feature remarks by editors Andrew Abela and Joseph Capizzi. A Catechism for Business collects the Church’s teaching on a wide range of topics, including advertising, hiring and firing, investing, outsourcing, wages, working conditions, and unions.  For more information visit catechismforbusiness.com

Details:

BOOK LAUNCH
Wednesday, March 26

6:00 pm
Catholic InformationCenter (CIC)

1501 K Street NW, Suite 175 

Washington, DC 20005

 

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Businessmen and theologians are like distant cousins, and often they’re just not on speaking terms. If anything can bring them into conversation, it’s this superb catechism, which achieves the minor miracle of being both erudite and readable.

-John L. Allen Jr, Boston Globe 

This is a fantastic repository! It should be mandatory reading for any Catholic in business, and recommended reading for any non-Catholic interested in what the Church really teaches.

-Patrick Lencioni, author of the Advantage and The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

What does Catholic social doctrine say about the minimum wage?

Since the beginning of this year, there has been increased public debate regarding the minimum wage question.  Now, President Obama has signed an executive order regarding the minimum wage for federal contract workers, and the U.S. Senate has been debating legislation to make broader changes to federal minimum wage laws. 

While the question over just wage legislation rages for a time in the political world, Catholic business leaders must face this question on a daily basis in their own businesses.  What factors should be considered when determining a worker’s wage?  How does one balance the needs of the worker with the needs and constraints of the business?  

The answers to such questions are seldom easy and require a prudential judgment on the part of the business owner.  However, Catholic business leaders are not left without direction.  The social doctrine of the Catholic Church provides guidance to help business leaders make the morally right decision. 

The following are just a few excerpts about living wages from the question on just compensation in A Catechism for Business:

What factors should an employer consider to calculate just compensation for an employee?

“In determining fair pay both the needs and the contributions of each person must be taken into account.” –Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2434 (584)

“Just remuneration for the work of an adult who is responsible for a family means remuneration which will suffice for establishing and properly maintaining a family and for providing security for its future.” –John Paul II, Laborem exercens, 19

“In determining wages, therefore, justice demands that account be taken not only of the needs of the individual workers and their families, but also of the financial state of the business concern for which they work.” –John XXIII, Mater et magistra, 33

A Catechism for Business also includes similar questions addressed by Catholic social doctrine, such as:

·          If an employee who is not forced to take a particular job agrees to a specific wage, does that make the wage just?

·         Whose responsibility is it to see that a just wage is paid?

To learn more about A Catechism for Business, please visit the book’s webpage at http://catechismforbusiness.com/

Dr. Abela on Catholic TV

Dr. Abela was a recent guest on Catholic TV where he talked about Catholic education in business and the importance of integrating ethics and morality into every aspect of business education.  He also spent some time discussing A Catechism for Business. 

You can watch the video below or visit http://www.catholictv.com/

The New Evangelization and Catholic Social Doctrine on Business

Catholic business leaders have always held great responsibility as witnesses to the Catholic faith through their daily interactions with the secular world.  Today more than ever, as the Church enters the period of New Evangelization, their role in society cannot be understated.   

The New Evangelization “calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel.”  For the Catholic business leader especially, this will require not only a renewal of personal faith but also an increased knowledge of the Church’s teachings as they apply to business.   

But where does one go to learn about Catholic Social Doctrine on business?  These teachings have developed over many years as the Church has responded to specific issues and questions.  As a result, these teachings are not found in any one document but are spread throughout a breadth of Church documents.   

A Catechism for Business draws together the Church’s Social Doctrine on business, organized by topic and question.  It serves as a reference guide for Catholic business leaders who wish to deepen their faith and grow in their understanding of Catholic Social Doctrine as applied to business.