Liberty And Solidarity Living The Vocation To Business

There appears to be a decline in confidence in the market economy as the engine of prosperity for all. A renewed focus on solidarity - love of others - in the marketplace could draw more people into the "circle of exchange" (Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 34), strengthen confidence in the market economy, and drive greater liberty and prosperity. But do the concepts of liberty and solidarity really belong together in commercial activity? An individualistic perspective sees them as opposing one another: solidarity, to the extent that it obliges me to "lose myself " in the service of others, seems to put a limit on my economic freedom. By contrast, the Church teaches that we become more free the more we commit ourselves to the service of others, and also that without solidarity we would not be able to maintain the conditions necessary for the operation of a free market. The CUA School of Business and Economics co-sponsored a conference with The Napa Institute titled, "Liberty and Solidarity: Living the Vocation to Business." Presenter's and participants comprised business and academic leaders who sought to discuss the practical and theoretical aspects of living the vocation to business in 2014. Each of the 16 30-minute presentations focused on answering a key question. The macro questions the conference intended to answer were: (a) What can we do to foster both liberty and solidarity in the contemporary economy?; (b) What ideas should be (re) proposed and what practical steps taken?; and (c) How should one live the vocation to business?

“In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him!” – Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ In his second encyclical, Laudato Si’: On the Care of Our Common Home, Pope Francis draws all Christians into a dialogue with every person on the planet about our common home. We as human beings are united by the concern for our planet, and every living thing that dwells on it, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Pope Francis’ letter joins the body of the Church’s social and moral teaching, draws on the best scientific research, providing the foundation for “the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows.” Laudato Si’ outlines: The current state of our “common home” The Gospel message as seen through creation The human causes of the ecological crisis Ecology and the common good Pope Francis’ call to action for each of us Our Sunday Visitor has included discussion questions, making it perfect for individual or group study, leading all Catholics and Christians into a deeper understanding of the importance of this teaching.

The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage

Do you struggle to reconcile your work in the marketplace with your Christian faith? Are you frustrated with the descent of our culture into intolerant factions that threaten life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? The pursuit of social justice is a common goal of mankind, but the means to get there are of significant debate. Where can we find answers? Adam Smith foretold of extravagant passions that are harbingers of the ill-functioning free market we see today, where rights to private property and the rule of law prevail, but where an amorphous morality acts to pit class against class and threatens the very liberty and freedom on which a free market is built. You will find the truth about what is required for a free market to function well, and it may surprise you! Though many view business today as part of the problem, the Church views business and business leaders as part of the solution. This is true especially for businesses operating in a free market! You will be shocked at how crystal clear the Church speaks of business, its true purpose, and the necessary role business leaders play in the economic and spiritual flourishing of their employees. There is no substitute for the practice and perfecting of virtues at work. In this book, you will walk through history, economic theory, virtuous business practices including a new perspective on business leadership, and real stories of the application of these principles in business today. The 13 Tenets of the Transcendent Business will help provide a guide for you as you begin leading your business and your employees toward transcendence – the true purpose of business. Also, you may well experience the peace that comes with aligning your Christian faith with that to which you are called: business.

One of the most important philosophy titles published in the twentieth century, Joseph Pieper's Leisure, the Basis of Culture is more significant, even more crucial than it was when it first appeared fifty years ago. Pieper shows that Greeks understood and valued leisure, as did the medieval Europeans. He points out that religion can be born only in leisure. Leisure that allows time for the contemplation of the nature of God. Leisure has been, and always will be, the first foundation of any culture. He maintains that our bourgeois world of total labor has vanquished leisure, and issues a startling warning: Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for nonactivity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will destroy our cultureCand ourselves. These astonishing essays contradict all our pragmatic and puritanical conceptions about labor and leisure; Joseph Pieper demolishes the twentieth-century cult of Awork as he predicts its destructive consequences.

This collection addresses the relationship between business, the natural environment, ethics and spirituality with insights from economists, business scholars, philosophers, lawyers, theologians and practitioners globally. The contributions offer new and invigorating approaches to sustainable business practices and sustainability leadership.