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News Archives » Fr. Séamus Finn


Faith Investor Summit Charts the Path Forward October 3rd, 2025

 
The Catholic Faith Investor Summit is an annual meeting of renowned Catholic and institutional leaders committed to values-aligned investing rooted in Catholic Social Teaching (CST).
 

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI pictured with Cardinal Peter Turkson (L) & Rev. David Schilling (R)

Grounded in the Vatican’s Mensuram Bonam (ethical guidelines for Catholic investors), Summit participants at this year’s event (Oct. 1-2) explored how to invest with integrity—achieving both strong financial returns and enduring spiritual impact.
 
In a Fireside Chat, Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Daniel Catone, CEO, Arimathea spoke on — Rerum Novarum (papal encyclical on labor) and its Implications in Asset Management
 
FULL AGENDA: https://bit.ly/3VHr3Tc
 
CONFERENCE WEBSITE: https://catholicfi.com/
 
 

Sharing Wisdom: Inspiring Fireside Chat with Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI & Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) Elders April 7th, 2025

Keep the Fire Going
(By Matthew Illian, Director of Responsible Investing, United Church Funds)

 
As we gathered at the Interfaith Center “God Box” for February’s Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s (ICCR) conference, many of us carried a troubled spirit. You didn’t hear any lamenting, but you could sense our weariness in the way we greeted one another. Whether with words, a smile, or a hug, our interactions were more heartfelt than usual. We weren’t just saying hello; we also came seeking something – perhaps reassurance.
 
We were two months into rapid-fire Executive Orders from the Trump Administration, and many were witnessing their efforts to uphold a more just and equitable society being dismantled nearly overnight. In planning this conference, we determined that it was essential to turn to the elders of the ICCR community. We were eager to know how they kept the fire going through distressing times. How had they persevered through the ups and downs of political regime changes?
 
The session was dubbed a “Fireside Chat with ICCR Elders”. As it began, Sister Barbara Aires, Steven Heim, Fr Séamus Finn, OMI and Bill Somplatsky-Jarman (SJ), who had collectively served the ICCR community for over 140 years, started sharing their stories.
 
One of the recurring themes was about the power of persistence. Both Steven and Sister Barbara shared stories of their unwavering determination, such as calling corporate offices on a daily or weekly basis.
 
READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.iccr.org/keep-the-fire-going/
 
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/3R0BuyT
 
 

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI Gives Lecture on the “Ethics of Finance” at Stanford University October 30th, 2024

By. Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI, Director, JPIC & Chief Faith Consistent Investing – OIP Trust 

Clergy wearing black robe University buildings

[On October 28th, OMI USA JPIC Director, Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI lectured students on ethics and finance during a course at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA]

The course- MS&E 148: Ethics of Finance – Explores the ethical reasoning needed to make banking, insurance and financial services safer, fairer and more positively impactful and fit for purpose in the 21st Century. This also follows the movement from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism.

The presentation explored the religious and philosophical roots of ethical practice in finance and banking and discussed particular challenges that individual countries and other major institutions operating in a global financial system face.

In addition, the presentation focused on responsibilities of shareholders in a capitalist system and how that has evolved in recent years to discussions about stakeholder capitalism and the absence of environment, workers and local communities as major stakeholders in the system.

The presentation concluded with a robust discussion on how corporate retail shareholders can be more active in exercising their ownership and integrating their beliefs and values into the decision-making process. This, of course, includes engaging corporate leaders either through proxy votes or attending their annual general meetings.

The 50-year Legacy of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) in this arena was an important part of my presentation.

 


Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI Moderates Environmental Justice Event June 2nd, 2023

In April, the Socially Responsible Investment Coalition (SRIC) held their 2023 Annual Educational Event, Environmental Justice: Reducing Ecological Impacts and Social Inequalities at Whitley Theological Center – Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.

The event was moderated by Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI and the first ever Citizen Advocate Excellence Award was presented to Sr. Elizabeth Riebschlaeger, CCVI. Keynote speakers were, Virginia Palacios, Executive Director of Commission Shift and City Councilman Mario Bravo, representing San Antonio District 1.

WATCH THE EVENT VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq0OYDdRYHg 

Virginia Palacios, spoke on her experiences in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas and environmental justice. City Councilman Mario Bravo, spoke of his time working on political campaigns, eventually transitioning into work around clean energy/energy efficiency. He noted his first job after graduating from college was with the Environmental Defense Fund.

For over a decade, the honoree Sr. Elizabeth, has worked with small communities throughout the Eagle Ford Shale that are experiencing health impacts and environmental pollution from oil and gas development, helping them to navigate agency complaints and permitting processes, and drawing attention to the issues they face.

 


Cisco Shareholders Vote Down Oblate-Proposed Plan for Tax Transparency December 14th, 2022

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

Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI

“While payment of taxes does not rank high on anybody’s wish list, they are the contributions that individuals, organizations and institutions make at all levels so that governments can function and fulfill their responsibilities. Many corporations seek to hide from the public how much they pay in the different countries in which that they operate around the world. As shareholders and citizens, we believe that access to this information allows us to verify for ourselves if they are compliant in these matters and paying their fair share to support   the common good, relieve the dire poverty and suffering of many and help to build a sustainable future for all. The OIP and the OMI USP have been leading proponents of this request with Cisco, Amazon and Microsoft, three of the largest companies resisting this proposal”. “This resolution with CISCO was supported by 27% of the shareholders last week, a vote total that is considered very acceptable for the first year that a resolution is presented, and allows us to present the resolution again in 2023”

Click here to see a report on Cisco’s action by Kevin Pinner for Law 360

 

 

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