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“Aligning Faith and Finance: A Missionary Priority” December 2nd, 2022

Vatican Tells Catholics How to Make ‘Faith-Consistent’ Investments

New guidelines discourage investment in mining, contraceptives and violent videogames

By Fr. Séamus P. Finn, OMI, Director, OMIUSA JPIC, OIP

JPIC Director
Fr. Séamus P. Finn, OMI

Shareholder democracy is essentially about every shareholder taking responsibility for their stock ownership positions and acting on them. In Catholic Social Teaching ownership is anchored on the cornerstones of rights and responsibilities. The Vatican Guidelines referenced in this WSJ article took 6 years to produce and will be a very helpful to both institutional and individual shareholders who want to make this a part of their missionary vocation. It was a special opportunity for me to be able to share our OMI decades of experience in faith aligned investing with the members of the committee that produced these guidelines.

For a link to the Wall Street Journal article visit Omiusa.org

 

 


OMI US JPIC Staff, Advisory Committee Meet in Godfrey, Illinois November 18th, 2022

 
OMI JPIC Staff & Committee

From November 10 to 11 the OMI JPIC Committee had its first hybrid meeting since the Covid-19 pandemic. The in-person venue was the historic Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in Godfrey, IL.

The group meets twice a year to discuss JPIC’s work and exchange ideas. Meeting discussions centered on JPIC’s socially responsible investing efforts, integrity of creation initiatives through LaVista Ecological Learning Center, the 2021-2023 Synod, and Economy of Francesco, an initiative of Pope Francis that engages young people in dialogue about “a different kind of economy that better respects humanity and nature.”
The group also paused to tour the grounds of the newly renovated novitiate, visiting the LaVista Garden and lodge, which sits on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.
The US JPIC Advisory Committee is a mix of Oblates and laypersons passionate about issues of justice, economic development and ecology. They serve as a sounding board for the office. Full list of JPIC Committee and office staff: 

  • Dr. Victor Carmona, Chair, Assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Diego 
  • Ms. Patti RadleCo-Director, Inner City Development
  • Fr. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI, Associate, International JPIC Office and Oblate UN Representative 
  • Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center
  • Mr. Gary HuelsmannChief Executive Officer, Caritas Family Solutions 
  • Mrs. Mary O’Herron, Former OMI JPIC Staff & Honorary Oblate of Mary Immaculate
  • Fr Emmanuel Mulenga, OMI, Pastor, St. Augustine Church
  • Fr. Séamus Finn, OMIDirector, OMI JPIC & Chief of Faith Consistent Investing – OIP Investment Trust
  • George NgolweAssociate Director, OMI JPIC
  • Rowena Gono, Communications Coordinator, OMI JPIC
 

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI Speaks at Harvard Islamic Finance Conference October 21st, 2022

 Cambridge, Massachusetts
– October 21 & 22, 2022 –

JPIC Director

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI joins academics, professionals, and community leaders from the United States and across the world at the Harvard Islamic Finance Conference to explore how religious foundations and philanthropies can collaborate with other institutions to address the pressing and urgent social and environmental issues we all face.
 
This is one of the calls that Pope Francis makes as he urges us to implement the vision of Laudato Si.
 
Visit conference website: https://humaifc.com/
 
 

La Vista Ecological Learning Center’s Outreach Ministry October 5th, 2022

Photo courtesy of Philippe Oursel, Unsplash

By Maxine Pohlman, SSND

As part of the outreach ministry of La Vista Ecological Learning Center, I recently offered a four-day retreat to the retired School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) at the Sarah Community in Bridgeton, Missouri. The theme for the retreat was Laudato Si and SSND, during which I explored with the Sisters how our SSND charism aligns with and is challenged by Pope Francis’ encyclical. The hope for the retreat was that Sisters would learn more about the urgency of the ecological crisis along with ways to be more integral to the solution than the cause.

Each day I addressed one concept from the encyclical, showing how Pope Francis’s words revealed new ways to live and express SSND’s charism of unity.  Themes included universal communion, ecological spirituality, ecological conversion, and ecological education. Along with the morning presentation, each Sister received a handout with quotes from the SSND Constitution, Laudato Si, and a prayer experience that gave flesh to the theme of the day. The retreat had a unique hybrid form, offering morning presentations and the option of individual direction in the afternoon with SSND spiritual companions.

Not wanting to overly burden the Sisters with facts about our crisis, I embraced Pope Francis’ attitude and ended each morning with one of my favorite quotes:

Let us sing as we go. May our struggles and our concern for this planet never take away the joy of our hope. (244)


VIDEO: JPIC’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform Report September 16th, 2022

Caring for our common home is essential to Missionary Oblate’s mission to the poor, because they are the ones most affected by the devastation to the planet.

The seven-year Laudato Si’ Action Platform offers a fresh opportunity for each of us to commit to complete sustainability in the spirit of Laudato Si. Oblates JPIC is promoting the following works from Oblates and allies in the province as a step toward integral ecology.

 

 

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