Being Catholic in the corporate world

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As a Catholic, can we be successful in the corporate world? I have chosen the corporate route, invested heavily in my career, and am starting a new business career as at a Fortune 20 company. I’m expected to rise in the ranks and climb the corporate ladder. Yet, I can’t help but feel that some of the things that I’d have to do would not sit well with Catholic teachings.

For instance, we’re taught to be humble. But in a competitive corporate world, being humble means you will be passed up and lose out on career growth opportunities. We’re taught to work for the common good. In the corporate world, the only thing we supposedly care about is shareholder value and the bottom line. We’re taught to be generous. In the corporate world, profit is everything, and your career growth is highly dependent on your P&L.

Of course there are also positives, like teamwork, learning, community outreach programs, etc. But does that offset all the other not-so-good things? I have met successful Catholic business leaders, but I don’t know how they reconcile their faith with their jobs. I’m really struggling with this.

I feel like that I have invested so much time, effort, money, and resources into this career, and I’m finally where I worked very hard to be. But now I’m wondering if it is really where I want to be. I want to make a difference, and that’s what I sought to do in the first place.

Sigh. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t think my career choice has made me happy, despite my plans and how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am today. I mean, I should be loving it right now, but I’m not.

Has anyone else gone through this? I’d really appreciate some (name removed by moderator)ut. Thank you in advance.
 
OK, there are 2 things going on here and I am not sure which one you really need help with. Or actually, maybe you don’t know and you want to figure it out.

First, it appears you are doubting the career choice you made. Now, do you really not like your career? Is there something you would rather be doing ? Or is it that you are now mature enough to realize career is only one aspect of your life and true happiness does not come from it? If that is the case, no other job will bring you true happiness so no need to change. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t just a bit of cold feet because you just got a promotion. Give it time to get use to it.

Now as for reconciling being Catholic in the corporate world. If you need to entertain clients at the strip bars to increase sales, DEFINITELY agains the teachings of the church and should not be done.

However, if it is simply that you want to be humble…very easy to do in the corporate world. Thank your team for their support. There is nothing wrong with taking credit for a good idea or work well done. Humble means at the end of the day you thank God for the strenght to do a good job and the insight for the good idea.

If you are the type to walk around the office with your nose in the air ‘The company is SO lucky as to have a good worker like me’, that is NOT humble and frankly even the secular world has no use for people like that. Unfortunately, depending of the dynamics, those people often are the ones to make it to the top.

CM
 
When it comes to personal and business ethics, working for a corporation is not that much different than working for a small business or a sole proprietorship, or for a partnership, or for yourself. If you are asked to reject your moral principles, that might be a problem, but I don’t think that’s as common as you seem to think. And corporations come in all different styles. Working for Google is different than working for Microsoft, or for an airline, or an accounting firm. Work is a good thing; a career is a good thing; doing your best is a good thing.
 
I guess I’m not seeing the conflict. I don’t see “humble” as self-deprecating, especially in this context. If you are “humble” as you see it, then you are essentially not giving a good day’s work for a good day’s pay. There is nothing wrong with tooting your own horn for your own advancement, as long as you can deliver.
 
Yes, being humble is ultimately giving all the glory to God. My advice would just be to remind yourself that all good things come from God, and that apart from Jesus Christ you can do nothing. So, pray for success at work. And if you are successful, remember that it is because of God that you are successful and not yourself.

The other advice I would give is that there are a lot of groups of Catholic business people. And I would suggest looking for one to join. There is one called Legatus, but I’m sure you could find groups of “Catholic professionals” on meetup.com and stuff like that.

I don’t aspire to the corporate world myself. But, if I did, I would give a whole lot of money to charity. To much that is given, much is expected. The Church is really struggling financially right now in a lot of areas. I’d recommend finding some Catholic charities and using your success to help the Church. Helping the Church in her hour of need is like the definition of giving glory to God.
 
You can be charitable and ethical in your dealings with others, you can affect the corporate culture through your behavior, choices and modeling, you can encourage your corporation to invest some of their profits into good causes and you can take your big earnings and support your church. You might be able to mentor others both Catholic and non-Catholic. Perhaps you will bring new people into the church as they get to know you.
What a wonderful opportunity. Congratulations on your promotion. Corporations need good Catholics…the world needs good Catholics. May God bless you and those you touch through your work. Amen.
 
Being humble doesn’t mean being dishonest when asked about your accomplishments. I have never seen any Catholic teaching that says to downplay achievements during a job interview, for example.

You can be generous and still make a profit. Actually, the more profit you make, the more generous you can be. Treat the people under you like brothers and sisters (because they are), don’t compromise your morals, stay focused on God instead of money, thank him for successes, and I don’t see why you can’t be a Catholic and succeed in the corporate life.
 
Read “In Good Company” by Fr. James Martin, SJ. It’s a perfect book for you
 
You’ve gotten some good advice so far. Many very good Catholics have also been excellent businessmen. Have run successful businesses or been well-known professionals in their fields.

I recommend that your look at St. Josemaria Escriva’s writing. Opus Dei gets a bum rap, even among Catholics some times, but his premise is very important for those of us in the corporate world (and really everyone with a job of any kind). He says that the work we do - our day to day corporate job - is the means for our sanctification.

Even if you weren’t a good Catholic, you wouldn’t do anything immoral or unethical to get ahead, and I hope your business isn’t trying that! There is quite a bit to be said in the business world about being a good corporate citizen, being a good place to work, having a positive corporate culture. Make the effort to take your business to those places.

As a senior executive (or at least a manager) you have influence over those things. You can create a positive work environment for your team, and make sure their work is recognized. You can suggest and participate in corporate charity such as Habitat for Humanity or being a sponsor for local schools.

Yes, customers have to pay their bills and expenses should be reasonable, but there are ways to ensure those things without being a heartless robber baron. As well as reading about Catholic rolemodels, look to executives in your own company or others and see how they “do well by doing good”.

And most importantly, make sure you do have a balance in your own life. Don’t skip Sunday Mass, find time for morning prayer and an evening examine of conscience. If you have a family, prioritize them in your life. Put your kids activies, time with my spouse, etc in your planner/calendar and make a certain amount of family time non-negotiable each week.
 
I disagree that working in the world is incompatible with being Catholic. From the beginning, the Church has taught us that we are in the world but not of the world. Christians went about their every day business and transformed the world.

I also disagree with the examples you give. They are a stereotype of corporate America. I have not found any of those things to be true. You do not have to be ruthless, uncaring, or greedy. You can be gracious and humble, caring and a good steward.

Are there people in corporations that act like that? yes. Do you have to be one of them? No. Just be yourself.

You define success, not someone else. So I think you have an issue there too. Your post is all about extrinsic measures of your own worth. Think about that.
 
AllSeasons said:
As a Catholic, can we be successful in the corporate world? I have chosen the corporate route, invested heavily in my career, and am starting a new business career as at a Fortune 20 company. I’m expected to rise in the ranks and climb the corporate ladder. Yet, I can’t help but feel that some of the things that I’d have to do would not sit well with Catholic teachings.

For instance, we’re taught to be humble. But in a competitive corporate world, being humble means you will be passed up and lose out on career growth opportunities. We’re taught to work for the common good. In the corporate world, the only thing we supposedly care about is shareholder value and the bottom line. We’re taught to be generous. In the corporate world, profit is everything, and your career growth is highly dependent on your P&L.

Of course there are also positives, like teamwork, learning, community outreach programs, etc. But does that offset all the other not-so-good things? I have met successful Catholic business leaders, but I don’t know how they reconcile their faith with their jobs. I’m really struggling with this.

I feel like that I have invested so much time, effort, money, and resources into this career, and I’m finally where I worked very hard to be. But now I’m wondering if it is really where I want to be. I want to make a difference, and that’s what I sought to do in the first place.

Sigh. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t think my career choice has made me happy, despite my plans and how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am today. I mean, I should be loving it right now, but I’m not.

Has anyone else gone through this? I’d really appreciate some (name removed by moderator)ut. Thank you in advance.
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A corporation is by definition, amoral, that is, without morals. It is a legal entity, not a person from a theological perspective. That said, a given corporation may engage in activities that do not violate its own morality but that impinge directly on the morality of the employee.

All other things being equal, it would be easier to work for a closely held company (including sole proprietorships) or even better yet, to strike out as an entrepreneur.
 
Lots of good advice so far.

I just wanted to touch on the idea of humility again.

As has been mentioned, humility is not self-deprecation. Humility is honestly recognizing the gifts and talents that God has given specifically to you and using them to the greater glory of God and for the benefit of the Kingdom.
 
I think you can. I have a sole-prop and I’ve already taught my clients that I don’t work on Sundays and other important Catholic holidays. I’ve turned down jobs involving divorce or contraception. I still have clients (and the same ones I turned down those jobs from!).

People are capable of respecting someone who will stand up and take flak for his ethics.
 
The corporate world is a great place to serve God. He needs people in these occupations to live their faith, fully, cheerfully, boldly. He needs us interacting with all variety of people in a Catholic way, as a form of apostolate. Not to directly evangelize, but to perform our work exceptionally well, quietly, humbly, cheerfully, competently. Over time a person who does this will attract many acquaintances, perhaps some close friends. And it is with those friends where the more substantial conversations can eventually occur…in a carpool, over lunch, after work, on a business trip. People will ask what is the source of our joy and our constructive outlook on life.

And with friendship established, we can begin to tell them about our Hope and more.

That’s one of the key points of Opus Dei, re-Christianizing the world, quietly, cheerfully, adding a slight supernatural tone to our work, developing our virtues through work. Sanctifying our work. Offering our work to God, offering the small sacrifices to Him…the double checked report, the well-written code, the well run meeting, the well thought out product, the extraordinary service given, etc.
 
I have a GREAT book for you = The Catholic Briefcase by Randy Hain. It has helped me so much to intergrate my faith into my work life.

And yes, you can be holy and successful. 👍
 
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