by Fr. Bernard McCoy, O.Cist.

Once a year we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis, the beloved saint who sang the praises of Lady Poverty.  There are few saints who have had such a profound effect on the Church and the world at large.  And certainly among his gifts was raising the awareness of the world to not only the needs of the poor, but also the virtue of embracing detachment to material goods.

For most of us, we aren’t in a position to literally give up everything and live in what we might term strict poverty.  But we can strive for a detachment from the things of this world.  Monks do not take a vow of poverty.  The evangelical councils, as we term the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, are a relatively “new” thing in the Church, at least from a monk’s perspective.  They only date from about the 13th century.  Monks go back a thousand years previous.  It was with the mendicant orders, the beggars who lived off donations, especially the Franciscans and Dominicans, that a spotlight was shone on the value of poverty.

Since monks are self supporting, since we have always been involved in various enterprises and commerce, the value of private property and what we might term Christian Capitalism is a fundamental aspect of our life.  Probably a better term than “private property” is property stewardship.  We’re really just called to be stewards of certain portions of creation for the Creator, our ultimate CEO.

Monks do not have any personal possessions, and so de facto live the vow as the newer congregations live it.  But our monasteries have possessions and all the tools necessary to live our life well.  Ours is not a poverty of “lack,” but rather a poverty of simplicity that avoids superfluity – we have and use what we need in order to do what God has called us to do.  Any wealth that remains is used for two purposes: almsgiving and prudent foresight/preparation for future needs.  This is perhaps a good model for everyone in the world.

But I think we can, and should, extend this to our businesses.  My monastery’s business, LaserMonks, promotes “Commerce with Compassion.”  Wouldn’t this be an apt motto for all our enterprises?  Incorporated businesses are considered a juridic person by the government.  Shouldn’t they be held to the same standards to which God holds each of us as individuals?

St. Francis of Assisi, the beloved saint who sang the praises of Lady Poverty, offers an unexpected lesson for business professionals, whose rightful concerns include earning a profit rather than pursuing poverty. There are few saints who have had such a profound effect on the Church and the world at large as St. Francis. And certainly among his gifts was raising the awareness of the world to not only the needs of the poor, but also the virtue of embracing detachment to material goods.

Most of us aren’t in a position to literally give up everything and live in what we might term strict poverty. But we can strive for a detachment from the things of this world.

This is true even for monks. Monks (such as the Benedictine, Camaldalese, and Cistercian orders) do not take a vow of poverty. The Evangelical Councils, as we term the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, are a relatively “new” thing in the Church, at least from a monk’s perspective. They only date from about the 13th century. Monks go back a thousand years previous. It was with the mendicant orders, the beggars who lived off donations, especially the Franciscans and Dominicans, that a spotlight was shone on the value of poverty.

Since monks are self supporting, we have always been involved in various enterprises and commerce. The value of private property and what we might term Christian Capitalism is a fundamental aspect of our life. Probably a better term than “private property” is property stewardship. We’re really just called to be stewards of certain portions of creation for the Creator, our ultimate CEO.

Monks do not have any personal possessions, and so de facto live the vow of poverty as the newer congregations live it. But our monasteries have possessions and all the tools necessary to live our life well.

Ours is not a poverty of “lack,” but rather a poverty of simplicity that avoids superfluity – we have and use what we need in order to do what God has called us to do. Any wealth that remains is used for two purposes: almsgiving and prudent foresight/preparation for future needs. This is perhaps a good model for everyone in the world.

I think we can, and should, extend this to our businesses. My monastery’s business, LaserMonks, promotes “Commerce with Compassion.” Wouldn’t this be an apt motto for all our enterprises? Incorporated businesses are considered a juridic person by the government. Shouldn’t they be held to the same standards to which God holds each of us as individuals?

Almsgiving is one of the tools of the Lenten season. Along with prayer and fasting, Our Lord encourages us to look to the needs of others. “Seeking the good of another” is the classical definition of love. Using our resources: our time, talent, or treasure for the sake of others, is the concrete way of expressing love of neighbor.

We usually apply the New Commandment of Christ to ”love one another as I have loved you,” to each person individually. As Christians I think we should also apply this to each corporate entity that we have responsibility for. Each of our businesses and organizations should accept the responsibility to use available resources for the good of others. Yes, businesses exist in order to produce a profit for their owners, but this doesn’t release them from looking toward the good of others, including customers, clients, employees, and the local community.

Good works are good business. Not only are we providing for the needs of others, but the very action of doing good is good for our businesses by showing us to be concerned about others, by strengthening the bonds of our customers and clients with us — because they see the good we are doing, and similarly because our customers truly participate in our good works since it’s through their patronage that we can do good for others.

We can even encourage others to seek the good of others by simply asking our customers what needs they see in the local community. Perhaps your business could help out in a few of the suggestions. At the very least you have encouraged them to look toward the needs of others – and this is good in itself.

As we continue our journey through Lent, consider also praying for your customers, for your employees, and for the lives that are touched through your enterprise. Never underestimate the good that one dedicated heart (or one dedicated business) can bring to the world through God’s Providence and loving guidance.

Greetings and peace.

As the chaplain for the new Catholic Business Journal, I would like to welcome you to this excellent online resource for timely and appropriate business information brought to you with a Catholic perspective. In my column I hope to provide thoughtful reflections from my own experience as a monk, priest, and CEO. The flavor will likely be some semblance of Andy Rooney meets Warren Buffet with commentary by Thomas Merton.

Growing up in the South, in a Methodist Church, I remember at about the age of 9 the kids were supposed to suggest a gift for a Secret Santa from our church. A bit of an entrepreneur and office organizer from a young age, all I really wanted for Christmas was one of those nifty money lock boxes that have all the little compartments for your change and dollars – and which you can lift out to put checks and secret papers underneath. I remember getting strange looks from the old ladies who were acting as Santa’s elves. I got that moneybox and used it for many years for everything from my lawn mowing business to being the top fundraiser in a Cancer Society drive when I was 12. Looking back, I think this was my first real moment of realizing that God and Mammon are not mutually exclusive – and that if we let God manage and organize our Mammon that He will help us double our 10 gold pieces.

Mammon is an Aramaic term that refers to all material resources: riches, treasure, etc., with linguistic cousins in Hebrew, matmon meaning “treasure,” and the Phoenician mommon, “benefit.” It was not until the Middle Ages that the Mammon generally became personified as a demon of avarice.

Unfortunately, this negative connotation seems to have carried through to the present day Christian understanding, and by affinity has often been applied by puritanical minds to any seeking of monetary gain. The tainted image of commercial enterprise still haunts us.

But lest those of us who are engaged in today’s market economy feel shamed and obliged to run off to confession, there are notable glimmers of rational respect from some ancient sources.

Consider this gem from Hugh of St. Victor from around the year 1127: “The pursuit of commerce reconciles nations, calms wars, strengthens peace, and transforms the private good of individuals into the common benefit of all… Commerce penetrates the secret places of the world, approaches shores unseen, explores fearful wildernesses, and in tongues unknown and with foreign peoples carries on the trade of mankind.”

My brother monks, Benedictines and Cistercians, have been leaders of commercial enterprise for over 1500 years. And I’m proud to follow in their footsteps. What sets us apart and makes us models for today’s world of business? By design all our enterprise is Commerce with Compassion. The Rule of St. Benedict, which is the guide for living the life of a monk, requires us to support ourselves with our own labor, and to use this income to support not only our life of prayer, but to provide almsgiving and charity to those in need.

Now is a good time to ask ourselves whether the work we do is infused with this same Compassion and Charity – seeking the good of others, whether it be our customers, our employees, or those we could help with our income. True charity is good business.