The best way to ensuring the sustainability of religious institutionsThe meeting organized by the Centro Academico Romano Foundation (CARF) and the news agency Rome Reportssponsored by Caixabank, and held at the end of last week.
In the meeting discussed the principles of responsible investment as a strategy and practice that incorporates environmental, social and governance factors into investment decisions and asset management, according to practical recommendations of the United Nations and the World Bank. Oeconomicae et Pecuniariae Questiones, published by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development. This document addresses considerations for ethical discernment in relation to some aspects of the current economic and financial system.
Manage with professionalism
The participants were Cristian Mendoza Obando, priest and professor of Church Management at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome; Yadira Oliva, economa of the Congregation of Martha and Mary; Sergio Camarena, bursar of the Augustinian Recollects and David Alonso de Linaje, head of Religious Institutions Private Banking CaixaBank. The meeting was moderated by Antonio Olivié, journalist and CEO of Rome Reports.
The teacher Cristian Mendoza, an expert in the training of bursars of religious institutions, stressed the importance of the economic managers of each congregation or diocese of the Catholic Church being professionals in the sector. The objective is to guarantee the sustainability of these institutions of the Church so that they can serve their specific mission and charism.
He also referred to two concepts that Church institutions should take into account today: transparency and compliance with legal norms. "Society demands more and more information. For this reason, transparency in the Church is very operative," Cristian Mendoza pointed out. In addition, he recalled that public institutions, such as congregations in the Church, must comply with regulations, which are increasingly on the rise. "The Church also has to comply with increasingly demanding regulations," he pointed out.
Looking beyond
Yadira Oliva, bursar of the Congregación Marta y María ̶ an institution founded in Guatemala 43 years ago, which has been in Spain since 1991 and which has has 700 sisters spread throughout the world ̶ , explained some of the economic issues of the institution.
"Our foundress always tells us: we have to look beyond. In Spain, we have 24 homes for the elderly and we also care for priests' residences. Many of our residences are not subsidized, but are supported by the residents' contributions. We make sure that they can receive a service and generous attention," she explained.
One of the problems encountered is the care of elderly religious who, because of age or health problems, are unable to carry out apostolic work. Instead of building residences just for them, this Congregation distributes them in different residences so that they can share the charism. "Our goal is to create a fund to sustain us in the future with our work," she says.
The Apostolic Congregation was founded by Monsignor Miguel Angel Garcia Arauz and Mother Angela Eugenia Silva Sanchez. It bears the name "Martha and Mary", the holy sisters of St. Lazarus, to mark the two principles that govern their lives: contemplation of the Divine Mysteries (Mary) and apostolic action in generous and selfless service to their brothers and sisters (Martha).
Economics at the service of the mission
Sergio Camarena, bursar of the Augustinian Recollects (with more than 400 years of apostolate), recalled in his speech the document of the Holy See on "Economics at the service of the mission"The points made, for example, refer to professionalizing the mission of each congregation or making the patrimony of each Order profitable.
Regarding investments, he clarified that religious institutions must rely on trained professionals, use important criteria to know with whom they are going to invest, and ensure that these investments are in accordance with the Social Doctrine of the Church, that is, to have an ethical sense of investments. "In our Congregation we have an Economic Council that watches over these investments and over what has to be destined to the different social works around the world," Camarena affirmed.
Senior Religious
As in the Congregation of Martha and Mary, a topic of great concern to the Augustinian Recollects today is the care of the older religious of the Order. "Our average age of the brothers is 63 years. Some reside in external institutions, others in our own houses, and others in public institutions. It depends on each country," he explains.
Profitability, but not at any cost
David Alonso de Linaje, head of Religious Institutions at CaixaBank Private Banking, stressed the importance of financial planning for each congregation, i.e., knowing what money is needed today to make the institution sustainable in the future.
"Profitability is important, but not at any price. Financial investments must be governed by prudence, legality and ethics. It is necessary for each Congregation to have experts who know the peculiarities of religious institutions," he said.
In response to questions from the people who followed this online meeting, Alonso de Linaje added that it is necessary to create some criteria for investments to respect the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC).
On the other hand, Cristian Mendoza emphasized the need for professional training of bursars, and in line with investment in accordance with the DSI, he recalled that religious institutions should not invest in portfolios that promote pornography, alcohol or abortion.
Sustainability, a frequent topic at Omnes
Economic matters, both in the business and ecclesiastical spheres, require in the present era that the mechanisms of control and management in ecclesiastical institutions continue to be refined. In this regard, sustainability and compliance are a frequent topic of discussion in Omnes.
After a Forum in which Diego Zalbidea, priest and professor of Canonical Patrimonial Law at the University of Navarre, and the expert on compliance of KPMG, Alain Casanovas, Professor Zalbidea has published in omnesmag.com a series of articles and interviews with experts on economic issues, under the general title Sustainability 5G.
Among those interviewed were José María Ziarrustamanager-economist of the diocese of Bilbao; Leisa AnslingerAssociate Director of the Office of Pastoral Vitality in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (USA); Bettina AlonsoDirector of Development for the Archdiocese of New York; Antonio QuintanaDevelopment Director of the Sanctuary of Torreciudad (Huesca), or Abigail MarshProfessor in the Department of Psychology and in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University (Washington).
