John Allen describes a recently released document… “The 32-page document is designed as a vade-mecum, or practical handbook, for business leaders trying to integrate their faith with their work. It was presented on March 30 by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Ghanian who serves as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, at an assembly of 2,000 Catholic businesspeople in Lyon, France.”
From the preface of “Vocation of the Business Leader”…
Business leaders are called to engage the contemporary economic and financial world in light of the principles of human dignity and the common good. This reflection offers business leaders, members of their institutions, and various stakeholders a set of practical principles that can guide them in their
service of the common good. Among these principles, we recall the principle of meeting the needs of the world with goods which are truly good and which truly serve without forgetting, in a spirit of solidarity, the needs of the poor and the vulnerable; the principle of organising work within enterprises
in a manner which is respectful of human dignity; the principle of subsidiarity, which fosters a spirit of initiative and increases the competence of the employees—considered “co-entrepreneurs”; and, finally, the principle of the sustainable creation of wealth and its just distribution among the various
stakeholders.
In these difficult times for the world economy, during which many business men and women suffered the consequences of crises that deeply reduced the income of their enterprises, risked their survival, and threatened many jobs, the Church does not relinquish the hope that Christian business leaders will, despite the present darkness, restore trust, inspire hope, and keep burning the light of faith that fuels their daily pursuit of the good. Indeed, it is worth recalling that Christian faith is not only the light that burns in the heart of believers but also the propulsive force of human history.
Peter K. A. Cardinal Turkson
Tags: Business, leaders, Pontifical Council, Turkson
