Advice: Bussiness and Catholicism

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Hey guys,

I have a personal question, wondering what you guys think. I understand the bible’s teachings that you cannot serve more than 1 God, you cannot serve Money and wealth at the same time as God. I am in business right now, about to graduate, and probably start my career off in it. I am a bit worried. Speaking with several business professionals, all they talk about is money and markets, and I don’t blame them, and I don’t think its any different in any other jobs, but religion and God do not seem to be a focus of peoples lives. My starting job will most likely include working 80-90 hours a week, making more money than the average household, and if I keep at it, potentially, with more hard work and promotions, could be bringing in incredible large sums. Now keeping this in mind, how do you guys think business and our religion mingle together ? By living a business professional lifestyle, which is extremely stressful, and time demanding, am I somehow dissatisfying God ? Should I become a priest instead? Is there a job that pleases God more, or is it that with more money, there is more responsbility, and the question is what i do with that money, and what I do to spread the truth within the business community that is mostly focused on money and earthly matters. Please let me know what you think and I appreciate your time reading my post.

Robert
 
Robert,

I have thought about this kind of a thing and here are some ideas that I have about these things (although your cirumstances are a little different from mine—my husband owns a pretty successful small business, one that requires both of us to work mega hours). The circumstances of your life are not nearly as important as what you do with them beginning at that point when you realize that you want to serve the Lord. As a business man you have relationships with all kinds of people. To be a very honest business person and to not be shy about admitting that you are a believing Catholic, is a powerful witness. In our business, we have to travel on weekends and the people who travel with us know I have to go to Mass on Sundays, no matter what. I try never to shrink about being Catholic, and often enough, people ask me questions. With the rise of secular materialism, we need lots of believing Christians in the business world. There are associations of Catholic business people, you should check them out. Have a wonderful life.
 
In business you do not have to work mega hours and you do not have to make lots of money.

I am a CPA and primary bread winner for the family. I own my own business and provide business advise to a lot of other business owners. I have placed my family first. I limit my business hours and always find ways to fit into my family’s schedule. I could work mega hours and I could make lots of money. Instead I choose to be happy.

The part I like best about my job is that I am helping other people. Money gets involved in so much of people’s lifes. Many times by getting their financial situation under control you can help to put the other parts of their lives in control also. It is quite often that people open up to me about their faith and how they can apply it to their business or lifestyle.

If you really love business then you can serve God in such a way.
 
Greetings Polska!

If you can bear with my short testimony: I came out of college with a graduate degree in finance and immediately went to work for a large bank. Money was flowing in, work hours were piling up. Happy hours were awesome as well as the expensive “business” lunches and all that goes with climbing the career ladder. It was everything I had dreamed of and worked for! My “climb” was causing problems at home with my wife, as I was never home and even on off days was socializing with co-workers and clients. But I didn’t care - this is what I had been taught in college to expect. Then in the blink of an eye it was gone! The bank shut down the department and I was laid off…

It was then that I realized I was serving the wrong god - That God was my capitalistic ambition: be successful in business, be rich, be happy!

From that point on I made a committment to involve GOD in all my decisions and to let him point the way. I am still in business, still making above-average money - but even more importantly I have a happy home and a loving relationship with God.

Enjoy your business career, it will be exciting, challenging and rewarding. Keep God involved in all your decisions and your goals and make sure your relationship with him is stronger than that with your boss, co-workers or clients and he will surely bless you.

Sincerely in Christ,
Corrgc
 
Hey guys,

I appreciate the responses. You guys all make good points and I am aware of everything you have mentioned. Right now, I am extremely young, single and do not have a family. I am not worried about family at this point of my life, I will be graduating, want to dedicated around 2-4 years of my life building and starting my career, and then think about family, otherwise, if it comes while I am working, then I will start considering it. I would love to put as many hours as you amils, but coming straight out of school in finance, and wanting to work in investment banking, low hours is not an option right now in my life. Thanks a lot for your comments, and if anyone else would like to comment on their life in business and how they are managing it would be really great to hear from you. All the best.

Robert
 
I worked in the CPA firm where long hours were the norm. When I became manager I cut out almost all the overtime during tax season. I had realized that when my staff was working overtime the work they produced was a bunch of garbage. By cutting the hours we increased the number of tax returns prepared and put out the highest number of tax returns for the firm with much less cost. Don’t make the mistake of thinking long hours equals productivity - it does not.
 
Hhehe, yes amills, But we are in different situations. You are a manager, I am a fresh undergraduate applying for analyst positions. As a manager I would expect the same thing. I also don’t want to work long-hours and hope long-hours takeup only the starting years of my career. All the best.

Robert
 
A lot of people serve God by creating jobs for others. It takes a lot of work to start a business and build it up – but if no body did it, how would the rest of us survive?
 
Polska said:
Hey guys,

I have a personal question, wondering what you guys think. I understand the bible’s teachings that you cannot serve more than 1 God, you cannot serve Money and wealth at the same time as God. I am in business right now, about to graduate, and probably start my career off in it. I am a bit worried. Speaking with several business professionals, all they talk about is money and markets, and I don’t blame them, and I don’t think its any different in any other jobs, but religion and God do not seem to be a focus of peoples lives. My starting job will most likely include working 80-90 hours a week, making more money than the average household, and if I keep at it, potentially, with more hard work and promotions, could be bringing in incredible large sums. Now keeping this in mind, how do you guys think business and our religion mingle together ? By living a business professional lifestyle, which is extremely stressful, and time demanding, am I somehow dissatisfying God ? Should I become a priest instead? Is there a job that pleases God more, or is it that with more money, there is more responsbility, and the question is what i do with that money, and what I do to spread the truth within the business community that is mostly focused on money and earthly matters. Please let me know what you think and I appreciate your time reading my post.

Robert
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I have been in Business for myself for 26 years . I see no conflict whatsoever between being in business and my Faith. In fact the gifts God has provided me to be successful in business are also Gifts I have been able to help build 4 Church’s and participate in numerous finance councils, fund drives, etc. I also believe one is doing Gods work when they provide employment for others. In addition to my wife and I my business provides for the livelihood of 12 other families.
 
estesbob said:
I have been in Business for myself for 26 years . I see no conflict whatsoever between being in business and my Faith. In fact the gifts God has provided me to be successful in business are also Gifts I have been able to help build 4 Church’s and participate in numerous finance councils, fund drives, etc. I also believe one is doing Gods work when they provide employment for others. In addition to my wife and I my business provides for the livelihood of 12 other families.
Click to expand...
Amen. I see a lot of people on these forums decrying business – but I don’t see any of them volunteering to create jobs to replace those lost if their policies were put into practice.
 
I think estesbob makes some very good points. I would ask the OP this first, what is your vocation?.

Regardless of what occupation we choose, our vocation is about what we do to serve God.

And so I ask you, if you feel led into the business world, how will you use it as a vocation to serve God? How will it be the best means for both your salvation and how will it help bring others into a loving relationship with God?

If your answers to those questions ring true, then you will begin to see that your occupation is a means to your vocation!

I would caution you if you say that you are doing it because you can make lots of money to give to the Church, charities etc. While those are good things, its important to remember, God doesn’t NEED your money. He needs you! Your heart, your mind, your soul, dedicated to serving HIM.

I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t pursue a business career. I have been in business all my life. It took me a while to REALLY learn that an occupation is NOT a vocation. But it CAN be one. It requires you to dedicate everything you do in business to align with glorifying Him, and following HIS will. Using money wisely is a small part of it. You will have thousands of interractions with people in the business world over a career. If you can be both Jesus to them and see Jesus in them, then you can use the means of your occupation to serve your true vocation.

God bless you!
 
A large business was negotiating tax incentives to establish an outlet in a city near here. A billboard appeared, “XYZ company is welcome here – as long as they pay their share.”

I was tempted to seek out the people behind that billboard and tell them, “XYZ company will create a thousand jobs in this city. Have you created a thousand jobs? And if not, when are you going to pay your share?”
 
Polska,

I think the important thing is to continue to ask yourself these questions over time.

It is not inherently wrong to go into business, and earn money (larger or small amounts). You have only to look at successfuly, Catholic businessmen like Tom Monahan to see that there can be a balance, and that some people are called to go into the business world and witness to others through their actions. Tom founded Legatus, an organization of Catholic businessmen for just this purpose.

What does matter is that no job you you take should interfere with your relationship with God or your obligations to God. If you find yourself wanting to work on Sunday-- a day you should give to the Lord-- or missing Holy Days, Mass, prayer time, etc, then you need to re-evaluate your priorities and how much of your life your job is sucking out of you. If you find yourself being asked to do unethical things, or take as clients companies that are unethical businesses (Planned Parenthood for example) then you may also find yourself at a cross-roads in which Christ must always come first.

There is no definite conflict in your chosen path and your relationship with Christ. Over time you may find that you are challenged to leave the business community and put what you have learned to work in other ways-- or to throttle back and allow for less money and more family time once you are a husband/father.

Continue to seek discernment as you build your career life and always listen to what God is telling you at that time. Perhaps even try formal spiritual direction through a trained spiritual director in your diocese. Also look into groups such as Opus Dei and Regnum Christi that are all about bringing God into the workplace and integrating into our lives.
 
Hey thanks about your advice. I looked into Legatus and emailed them about how I can get involved in their Toronto chapter. I think this will be an excellent opportunity for me to surround myself with like-minded people: Combining faith in the business world.
God bless.
Robert
 
I would first reflect on "those who have been given much, much is expected.
  1. Consider your employees. They are the ones who pull the cart. Reward them commensurrately.
  2. Deny yourself the material instincts.
  3. Give to charities Catholic. One idea - sponsor children in other countries through
  4. Purchase Catholic media materials for distribution
  5. Buy Catechisms for the families in your local Catholic Church and School
  6. Use your surplus to evangelize
  7. Do good, fight evil
  8. Make time for your family
 
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