🙏 From the President's Desk - Feb 3, 2023
Jerome Delay / Associated Press

🙏 From the President's Desk - Feb 3, 2023

Welcome back to the Legatus’ From the President’s Desk!


From the President’s Desk is a chance for me to share with you what has held my attention this week. The weekly update will present a selection of observations and news stories focused on Catholic, business, and secular affairs, oriented to inform and empower Catholic professional leaders like you.


Let’s get started:


➕ One Million People at Mass


Pope Francis is on a trip that is taking him to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan. During his visit to the DRC on Wednesday, he said Mass. For one million people. From the Catholic News Agency:


Pope Francis celebrated Mass in French, the official language of DRC, and Lingala, the Bantu-based creole spoken in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and by millions of speakers across Central Africa.

The pope delivered his homily in Italian with French translations for the Mass, which was celebrated according to the Zaire Use of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite…

'In a world disheartened by violence and war, Christians must be like Jesus,' Francis said in his homily. 'As if to insist on the point, Jesus told the disciples once more: Peace be with you! We are called to make our own this inspired and prophetic message of peace and proclaim it before the world.'


Don’t believe the naysayers who say that the Catholic Church is failing to capture the imagination of the world. There are one million people who attended Mass Wednesday in the DRC who would disagree with you. For those who claim peace is out of reach in our times, read the words of the Holy Father’s homily. Work to have peace within you so you can give that peace to others. Pray for peace, pray for the one million Catholics who attended Mass to pray and listen to the Holy Father. 


⏰ Get ready for Lent

 

Lent is on the horizon. Don’t wait until Ash Wednesday to get ready for this holy season. Today is the day to start thinking about what a meaningful Lent would look like for you, what you want to sacrifice for Lent, what extra devotions can you practice, and who can you bring along with you on your Lenten journey. And that is just the tip of the iceberg when creating a roadmap for Lent.

 

Do not fear, help is here to guide you through Lent. The team at Hallow, an amazing Catholic app for Apple and Android, has put together a guide for Lent. The guide has resources to help you understand and prepare for Lent, and I suggest checking out their app for engaging Catholic resources all year long.  


💸 China’s Contracting Population Problem: Global Impacts?

 

Business Insider has a fascinating piece this week, The Great People Shortage hits China. China’s population is shrinking. Fertility rates are falling, China’s one-child policy has been harmful, and there is no influx of immigration to China.


More:

 

A shrinking workforce wouldn't just hurt China's economy — it would have spillover effects for the U.S. and Europe. China's manufacturing sector, for example, would likely struggle to maintain its recent growth streak. So in the coming decades, China's economy would not lift global growth rates as it has in the past. Productivity growth in the country could also stagnate. Economists have long tracked the correlation between population density and innovation — a larger population means a larger pool of potential entrepreneurs — so a shrinking population means China's ability to disrupt markets could decline as well. Taken together, China's slowing economy would have severe knock-on effects for the rest of the world. 

 

Worth keeping these developments on your radar.


📽️ What Is an Abbey?

 

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to attend Mass at St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California. The abbey is a foundation of the Norbertine Fathers. The current abbey opened in 2021, and is stunning. If you are in the area, I encourage you to visit and pray there. I was thinking about my visit to the abbey the other day, and wondered, what is an abbey exactly? Of course, the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey have the answer. Enjoy this video, and let me know if you have visited the abbey!

 

Thank you for reading, and be on the lookout for our next From the President’s Desk!

 

Stephen Henley


P.S. Legatus invites you to an important online seminar Friday, February 24 at 12:40pmE, hosted by Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business (co-sponsored by Legatus), entitled “Blind Spots and Legal Pitfalls in the Drive for Diversity and Equity in Corporate America.” The in-depth discussion will examine legal risks inherent in DEI programs and identify common blind spots employers often have in this area. Guest-expert is Andrea Lucas, Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Register for the seminar here.

Sean Magennis

| Purpose-Driven Business Leader | Results through People, Process, and Purpose | Service First.

1y

Love this Stephen Henley. Thank you

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