Being Catholic in the secular workforce

[MAV0524]

I was wondering if people cared to give some advice on staying true to the Catholic faith/morality while working in a very secular organization.

How can you judge if a job is dangerous to your soul’s well-being? How can you judge “how much” risk to your soul you should tolerate in a job? Almost all jobs nowadays are going to require some risks.

How much responsibility do Catholics have to change their organizations’ immoral practices? Eg). recommend going with a different health insurance plan that doesn’t cover an immoral (perhaps very immoral) procedure/drug if you’re not sure how the boss would like it.

For the record, I work as a small town administrator. Most of the stuff we do is pretty legitimate (water, sewer, cemetery, streets, etc.) and my cooperation with evil, if any, is normally only remote and material. However, morality is rarely an issue that is discussed. It’s kind of a fear of mine that I would be asked on the fly to do something that I am not sure of is moral for me to do, and I would not have the courage to resist.

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

I would say, just do what you would always do to stay away from sin.

You don’t have to discuss religion or morality with your coworkers or boss. If there’s something you think puts you in a sinful situation, discuss it with your boss and explain that you have an issue with doing something against your beliefs.

There’s very little else you can do. Now, if you said your job was working as a doorman for a strip club or as an escort at an abortion mill, then I would say, you need a new job.

 

[Calgar]

Carry your Bible with you. That lets folks know right where you stand without any amiguity (did I spell that right?).

 

[funion987]

Carry your Bible with you. That lets folks know right where you stand without any amiguity (did I spell that right?).

That might lead a coworker to automatically put a label on you, which could be harmful if they assume that you just go off whatever words are in there and follow them blindly, which I think is a common misconception of the ill-informed.

 

[bmullins]

I find that simply living my faith in every action I do is the best way to handle it. If an employer asked me to do something wrong (morally) I told them no. I have refused to hook things up (I was an electrician by trade) in a manner that would be dangerous. If I did it, I did it right. I never lost my job for it, but I did get moved around some when the boss found out I wouldn’t just do anything. You can’t control the whole company, but you can control the parts you are involved in.

 

[Newbie2]

You wouldn’t have to give a reason for being “uncomfortable” with doing a certain task or tasks.

“I don’t know, Boss, I don’t feel this is the right thing to do here.”

“I don’t think it’s right to do _____________”

Even athiests that have as sense of morality in common with Catholic Morality find ways to refuse to participate in something in/for which they feel morally uncomfortable.

Now if the you-know-what ever hit the fan i.e. do this immoral act or you are fired, then playing the Catholic Christianity card may be in order. You don’t use it as a club or weapon, but rather as a shield.

In a large company, anyway, managers and higher-ups are quite aware of the HR can-o-worms that they open with such an ultimtum. Mid sized and smaller companies…they’re “safer” for the boss, because the employee has to do more legwork to complain to the right people. As well, “at will” employment arrangements mean you can get fired for pretty much any reason at any time, providing that such a firing isn’t blatently illegal.

But I digress…

 

[DexUK]

When it comes to insurance policies that cover unethical procedures, don’t worry: since you’re not going to be partaking of such a procedure or drug, then you aren’t in any sinful position. You might be able to shop around for better alternatives, but you are not expected by the Church to put yourself at risk through having no insurance or to unnecessarily impoverish yourself as a result. Although I can’t cite references right now (I’m in a hurry!) I know I’ve read authoritative statements to that effect.

With respect to work, then if you find yourself being asked to carry out unethical practises, then you should object in as best a way as you can without unnecessarily risking your livelihood. If the employer is simply choosing a health plan you don’t like, then that’s also not something over which you have any reasonable control. Just don’t avail yourself of the bits that don’t work for you. And as for personal treatments, well I’m pretty sure you can approve or reject doctor prescribed treatments as you see fit.

Remember that a mortal sin requires full consent. If you are unable to live without the job, then you might just have to hold your nose (especially if you are in the sewer!) and tolerate it temporarily while doing nothing to personally promote that which is unethical. Do it under protest or choose the least worst option available to you if it’s not possible to request a transfer to some other area.

 

[Calgar]

That might lead a coworker to automatically put a label on you, which could be harmful if they assume that you just go off whatever words are in there and follow them blindly, which I think is a common misconception of the ill-informed.

Well in that case they could use a dose of Christian humility.

 

[fred_conty]

QUOTE
It’s kind of a fear of mine
UNQUOTE

Anything can happen to any of us. But it’s best to take care of today and not worry about tomorrow. I believe Jesus said something to that effect. If something should come up then pray to the Holy Spirit to help you answer it for that is what He does .

A little thought.

 

[MichaelTDoyle]

Why does he have to hide his Catholic identity?
I don’t get it. Be proud and talk about it. Are we in Soviet Russia now (already)?

 

[tskrobacz]

I was wondering if people cared to give some advice on staying true to the Catholic faith/morality while working in a very secular organization.

How can you judge if a job is dangerous to your soul’s well-being? How can you judge “how much” risk to your soul you should tolerate in a job? Almost all jobs nowadays are going to require some risks.

How much responsibility do Catholics have to change their organizations’ immoral practices? Eg). recommend going with a different health insurance plan that doesn’t cover an immoral (perhaps very immoral) procedure/drug if you’re not sure how the boss would like it.

For the record, I work as a small town administrator. Most of the stuff we do is pretty legitimate (water, sewer, cemetery, streets, etc.) and my cooperation with evil, if any, is normally only remote and material. However, morality is rarely an issue that is discussed. It’s kind of a fear of mine that I would be asked on the fly to do something that I am not sure of is moral for me to do, and I would not have the courage to resist.

It is your obligation to be Christ to the world. Don’t attempt to judge the job as good or bad…simply show up with your Catholic virtues every day and be a living witness to someone that follows Jesus. Be the change you want to see in your work.

 

[John21652]

I was wondering if people cared to give some advice on staying true to the Catholic faith/morality while working in a very secular organization.

How can you judge if a job is dangerous to your soul’s well-being? How can you judge “how much” risk to your soul you should tolerate in a job? Almost all jobs nowadays are going to require some risks.

How much responsibility do Catholics have to change their organizations’ immoral practices? Eg). recommend going with a different health insurance plan that doesn’t cover an immoral (perhaps very immoral) procedure/drug if you’re not sure how the boss would like it.

For the record, I work as a small town administrator. Most of the stuff we do is pretty legitimate (water, sewer, cemetery, streets, etc.) and my cooperation with evil, if any, is normally only remote and material. However, morality is rarely an issue that is discussed. It’s kind of a fear of mine that I would be asked on the fly to do something that I am not sure of is moral for me to do, and I would not have the courage to resist.

Moral courage is an interesting topic. It’s an interesting topic because, often, when push comes to shove, people allow their moral compass to be compromised because they are fearful of the consequences of making a moral stance on an issue. It is that fear of consequences which leads people to condone immoral acts and immoral behaviour in others and to go along with the behaviour of others to such an extent that one ends up committing immoral acts also. Moral Courage is displayed when a person, or group of people, says “Enough!”.

For a person to display moral courage, they have to decide just how important their moral convictions are. Are one’s moral convicions negotiable, or non-negotiable? In what circumstances would they be negotiable? If they are negotiable in certain circumstances, would that mean they are negotiable in all circumstances? If they are negotiable even in some circumstances, does that mean that they are not as important to you as you would like yourself to believe? Are your moral convictions so strong that you will not condone in others what you would not do yourself?

Throughout history, people have laid down their lives, or lost their jobs, or lost their friends, because their moral convictions were not negotiable. Saints, politicians, soldiers, ordinary folk - history is full of such people whose morality was not for compromising. Without doubt, they all were fearful of the consequences of making an overt stand based on their moral convictions. What sets those people aprt from others is that they overcame that fear. The fear of allowing their moral beliefs system to be compromised and having to live with that aspect of themselves was greater than the fear of the consequences that others may mete out because they took a non-negotiable moral stance.

To paraphrase the 18th century British statesman Edmund Burke, evil flourishes when good men do nothing. So, if you see evil flourishing, do you make a stand against it and refuse to be a part of it? Or do you either try to ignore it and perhaps even take part in it? It all depends on how important your job is; how important the acceptance and approval of your peers is; and can you like yourself still when you decide that the job and the ‘respect’ of your peers is more important than your own moral beliefs? In other words, do you really believe what you think you believe?