Oblates Demand Corporate Leaders Adopt Responsible Climate Change Practices.
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation
By Fr. Séamus P. Finn, OMI, Director of OMIUSAJPIC and OIP

One of the most important developments in missiology, (which I understand to mean “engagement” with the world), at the institutional/organizational level over the last 25 years, has been a consideration of how the vision and mission of different religious entities reflects and integrates the call of the Gospel, the Church’s tradition and the Charism of their founders in both their policies and operations. Put more concretely, “are these entities walking the talk” and how well aligned are their operations and marketing with the religious identity and name that they embrace.
For more than 40 years the Oblates of Mary Immaculate have asked this question and worked assiduously to find ways to integrate this approach into the management of any trusts, endowments or foundations for which they are responsible. For this purpose they have developed and continue to refine a Faith Consistent Investment policy to guide those responsible for managing these funds.
A practical priority of this discernment, that Pope Francis also identified in the encyclical Laudato Si, is to “care for our common home and for the poor” in the way that we manage our assets and to be bold and innovative in reversing the destructive path that Climate Change continues to cause. Some of the activities, that we have undertaken in collaboration with our partners across the country, in this regard are highlighted in the attached article.
OMI USA JPIC and OIP Trust are delighted to join with many other religious congregations who are ICCR (Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility) members on this climate change advocacy effort for the 2022 proxy season. The comments by the representative of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Aberdeen South Dakota are a clear and eloquent statement of how they have integrated and incarnated their charism, the call of the Gospel and of Laudato Si into their mission.
Click here to see the copyrighted article, “Activist shareholders raise alarm about climate change in corporate filings” written by Dennis Sadowski and originally published by Catholic News Service.