Three Things NOT to Do

1. Avoid Condescension

There you are eating lunch with some friends at work or maybe taking a break in between meetings, when someone attacks the Faith out of the blue. As Catholics we are used to these situations. But still, they can get our blood boiling. Often the attacks come from a place of ignorance and so it can be easy to respond by being condescending and belittling. But the truth is that responding like this does more harm than good and doesn’t help you defend the Faith as a Catholic professional.

Every one of us has experienced condescension. Condescension can destroy any chance of evangelization because it leaves the other person feeling dismissed, disrespected, and domineered. As Catholics, we are to be convicted that we have the truth in Jesus Christ and His Church. We are even required to respond to false attacks with the truth of the Gospel. But this doesn’t mean we get to be condescending, especially in the workplace where it can damage relationships and opportunities for further evangelization. It is helpful to keep in mind Philippians 2:3-4,

“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.”

Remember that when we defend the Faith it’s not about making the other person realize how wrong they are, but about showing them how true Jesus Christ is.

2. Steer Clear of Aggressiveness

In our modern world, our go to reaction to any threat tends to be anger. We are easily enraged and often respond to others with aggression. This can be understandable, especially when faced with unjust attacks on the Church in the workplace. But we need to remember that the great saints and spiritual writers of the Church often talk about the dangers of anger. It’s not that we cannot be upset, only that anger often leads to sin. Remember, “Be angry, but do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26).

But how do we know our anger is crossing into sin or not? Well, again, Ephesians can offer some guidance. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to live the truth in love. In other words, when we respond to false attacks by presenting the truth it should always be done out of love for the other and for God. If our response is not oriented toward love, then it is likely leading more toward sin.

At the end of the day, it is important that we refrain from adopting an aggressive stance that fails to love the other person. This means speaking the truth in love.

3. Don’t Neglect Professionalism

Titus 2:7-8 lays out the main point of this section perfectly. It says, “[show] yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us.”

Maintaining our professional conduct in the midst of attacks on the Church is one of the best means to defending the Faith as a Catholic Professional. If we remain professional, acting with integrity as regards our teaching, dignity, and speech, then we will have witnessed to the truth of Christ. This, often even more than words, can be convicting for the one who attacked the Church.

It’s important that we neither let attacks on the Faith lead us to respond in inappropriate and unprofessional ways, nor that we let it distract us from carrying out our essential duties. If we fail to do this, then we give others a chance to say something bad about us which can only further undermine the Faith and your professional position.

Three Things TO Do

1. Educate Yourself

If we want to be able to defend the Faith anywhere, then we need to “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for a reason for your hope…” (1 Peter 4:15). This is true for all Catholics, including Catholic professionals looking to defend the Faith.

Just like having a good game in a sport begins with practice weeks before the game, we also need to be well prepared with our Faith. It is important that we understand our Faith and know why it is we believe what we believe and hope for what we hope for. If we do not understand these things, then when we meet challenges and go to defend our faith we might be without words and left with nothing but frustration and anger. It is pivotal that we are always learning more about our Faith and why we believe what we believe so we can share it with others.

So be sure to equip yourself with a deep understanding of Catholic teachings. And cultivate the ability to articulate them clearly by discussing the Faith often with friends and loved ones. This will enable you to engage in informed discussions and address misconceptions about the Catholic Church.

2. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel

Defending the Faith as a Catholic professional can be daunting. We can get nervous because people often will respond with hostility or confusion. Following Jesus can even damage your reputation in the eyes of some of your co-workers.

It’s okay to feel nervous. But it isn’t okay to let those nerves stop us from defending the Faith as Catholic professionals. We need to say with St. Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

We may not always feel calm, cool, and collected, but if we courageously choose to defend the Faith in the workplace, then we are saying, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel!”

3. Lead by Example

Our Faith is not something we are meant to be ashamed of. And it is certainly nothing we should ever hide. This doesn’t just mean defending the Faith from attacks by giving intellectual arguments, but it also means living out our lives with the heart of Christ. Jesus tells us, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16).

When we live with real, authentic, personal sanctity we give the greatest defense of the Faith. Nothing spreads the Gospel like true holiness, and nothing is harder to refute than a Christ-like heart. This means that a central part of handling workplace persecution as a Catholic professional is a good prayer life.

As Catholic professionals, the best way to defend the faith is to live out your call to be like Jesus.

Conclusion

Jesus wants us to be His hands and feet in the world, and sometimes this means defending the Faith. Defending the Faith as a Catholic professional is not an easy task. There are many pitfalls to avoid and quite a few things to keep in mind. Stay away from condescension, aggressiveness, and don’t neglect professionalism. And make sure you are well educated, not ashamed of the Gospel, and lead by example. If you do this then you will defend the Faith as a Catholic professional with self-control and courage

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Being a Catholic professional in a secular workplace can be quite a tightrope walk. Striving to live out your faith and answer the call to evangelization while also maintaining respect for workplace boundaries and job security is no easy feat. Fortunately, there are ways to navigate this delicate balance and uphold your Catholic values in a professional setting without compromising your job or your beliefs.

What does it mean?

Ask fifty people about being a Catholic professional in a secular workplace, and you’ll receive fifty unique answers. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this dynamic situation. It hinges on the individual Catholic professional and the specific workplace they find themselves in. Context is key, making each experience a tailored journey. However, there are a few principles that we can follow that apply across the board.

Doing your job well 

Living out Catholic values in the workplace extends beyond mere religious affiliation. It involves excelling in your job, as it pertains to the dignity of both workers and work itself. Every occupation, regardless of its perceived significance, carries inherent dignity, enabling individuals to support themselves and their loved ones. Even if your work is not directly tied to the Church, its spiritual worth should not be underestimated. The value lies not in who you work for but in the commitment to excellence and the positive impact you make through your work.

Consider the example of a nurse working in a secular hospital. While their role may not be explicitly tied to Catholicism, their dedication to providing compassionate care to patients upholds the values of love, mercy, and dignity that are central to the Catholic faith. By embracing their work with diligence and genuine concern for others, they contribute to the spiritual well-being of both patients and their colleagues, making a profound difference in the lives they touch.

Exuding virtue 

Your work can be a powerful form of evangelization if done well and with joy. You don’t have to force exaggerated or fake cheerfulness – genuine joy rooted in faith is always appealing.

No need to be self-righteous or preachy; just focus on being holy. Your work life should reflect the joy of the Gospel without lacking authenticity. Show genuine care for your coworkers and those who interact with you, and naturally, people will be drawn to you, and thus appreciate what you believe.

As an exercise, choose one area for personal growth in the workplace. It could be cultivating patience or engaging with coworkers before your first cup of coffee. Even small steps can create opportunities to share the Gospel with your colleagues.

Evangelizing

You’ll likely have few options for direct evangelization in a secular workplace. That’s okay. Yes, it’s good to evangelize. It’s also good to keep your job. Contrary to what some may say, it is rarely the case that it is better to lose your job than not evangelize. If you have to feed your family, that comes first. Measure your word and action choices against your job security, but don’t let a good opportunity go to waste if you can avoid it.

That isn’t to say that you can’t evangelize at all. Of course, Christians are called to evangelize through their example. The very nature of who you are should be evangelistic. If you don’t feel like you can talk to your coworkers about religion, there are some other things you can do. You can wear a cross or have a crucifix at your desk (assuming your work allows that). Praying before meals is also a great conversation starter.

Get to know your coworkers if you aren’t sure where to start and how direct you can be. Yes, even Sharon from accounts payable, whom you can’t stand. Maybe start with Sharon. The more you authentically engage with your coworkers and get to know them, the better you can genuinely care for them. The inherent flaw with street evangelization is that the evangelist doesn’t have a relationship with the person he is evangelizing. That’s not to say that the “cold calling” of evangelization can’t work, but it likely isn’t the best option in your secular workplace. Know your coworkers, their values, and how you can approach them about matters that … actually matter.

Pray, read Scripture, and ask the intercession of the saints. Whatever works well in your prayer life, stick with that. You may need all the help you can get to not only spread the Faith but to keep your own in a secular workplace. You don’t need to proselytize, but you do need to live out your Catholic values.

What not to do

We often talk about how to evangelize, but we don’t often talk about how not to evangelize. This comes back to knowing your coworkers. If Sharon from accounting loves art, lecturing her on how the Council of Trent replied to the Protestant Reformation is NOT the way to go, lol. Perhaps the Church’s rich tradition as keepers and stewards of great art is a better starting point.

As a rule, you probably don’t want to make any grand evangelistic gestures. Maybe don’t pray the Our Father in Latin on your weekly conference call (unless you’ve already given your two weeks’ notice, then go wild). Of course, this is a hyperbolic example. The point is, large, impersonal gestures are often more to make the evangelist feel important than to evangelize. Even if not the case, they rarely translate in an office setting.

Community 

Find others who are in a similar situation. Maybe you have other Catholic coworkers. Talking about the faith with them may intrigue other coworkers. At a minimum, they may have questions you can answer.

If you don’t have Catholic coworkers, you probably know other Catholic professionals who work in secular workplaces. Joining a Catholic professional group or social club is a great way to meet other Catholics in similar situations to your own. Pray with each other for the strength to live out your Catholic values in your respective workplaces, and know you always have a community from which to draw strength.

About the Author:

Joe Coleman is a freelance writer, editor, and audio production consultant. He holds a BA in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University (and actually uses it from time to time). A former fellow at KNOM Catholic Radio in Western Alaska, he got his start as an on-air host, producer, and news writer. Currently, you can find him in Southern California writing about national parks, outdoor gear, and the role of Catholics in the business world.

The post Living as a Catholic Professional in the Secular Workplace appeared first on Catholic Professionals.

Those are just a few of the self-conscious questions contemporary society has faithful Catholics pondering every day.

Even though we have the First Amendment in the United States, Christians walk on eggshells when it comes to being public about their faith, especially at a place of business. Catholic professionals maybe more than most, given the not-so-faint streak of anti-Catholicism in our nation’s past and contemporary progressivism’s less-than-tolerant attitude toward Catholic moral teaching.

If that sort of thing nags at you, perhaps they even frighten you, there’s good news. You don’t have to answer those questions. And no blog is going to be able to give you one-size-fits-all advice on the subject. Only you can gauge the level of tolerance for religious discussion in a given secular workplace, and when the time is right to make a stand on a topic.

But since there is nothing in doctrine that says you have to go around citing Bible verses and Catechism of the Catholic Church references all day long, relax a little.

Besides, odds are that being accused of evangelizing to the point of losing your job is far less likely than becoming lazy about your faith in today’s hyper-busy business world. As is the case for the devout college student whose faith dissolves in the ultra-secular world of higher education, there’s a certain amount of “use it or lose it” danger that comes from bottling up one’s faith in the workplace.

1. Practicing religion without an un-secular word.

Silence can be a powerful spiritual tool for Catholic professionals in the secular workplace. And it can help with preserving your Catholic faith in the secular workplace without ever saying a word. Consider harnessing the spiritual power of silence to strengthen your faith and do good for others throughout the day. That’s right — good, old-fashioned spiritual works of mercy.

Your workplace probably isn’t interested in hearing you stand up at your desk to announce a rosary or chaplet for the intentions of all present. But you can certainly be something of a prayer warrior — or prayer ninja, to be more exact — interceding for others throughout the day, without them ever knowing it.

Prayer is strong and we all need much more of it than we realize. That’s especially true for people who are hostile to the very thought of God. Rather than letting your faith atrophy in the workplace, keep your Christian radar tuned in throughout the day and keep an eye out for reasons to intercede.

• Watching a colleague give a presentation? Offer a silent prayer for his/her success.
• Somebody in a foul-mood day? Pray for peace in his or her heart.
• Back-biting coworker? Pray for those who persecute you. (Hmmm. Where have heard THAT before?)
• Project not going well? Call on an assist from the Holy Spirit.

2. You’re not in this faith preservation thing alone.

And, dear Catholic professional, remember that you’re Catholic and the entire Church Triumphant is in your corner. There’s no problem too big or too small that someone who has gone before us marked with the sign of faith can’t help us handle.

• Big problems: Colleague letting alcohol affect his/her performance? Ask the intercession of Venerable Matt Talbot.
• Medium-sized problems: Someone struggling with writing a report? Ask St. Francis De Sales to back him/her up in prayer.
• Smaller but annoying problems: Lack of organizational skills overshadowing someone’s talent? Put St. Zita on the case. You probably never heard of her because she was misplaced, but she’s there to call on.

And not every prayer needs to be exclusively for the benefit of someone else. for instance, if you’ve got a boss who’s mean and nasty, and walking out on him/her isn’t an option, invite Blessed Mother and St. Joseph to pray that he/she will discover how to lead from a place of respect. (That may sound fruitless, but just saying such a prayer can do wonders for your own ability to cope.)

3. Preserving your faith by praying for yourself.

Preserving your Catholic faith in the secular workplace requires taking care of your own spiritual well-being. And here’s more good news: you’re never alone in the effort. The Communion of Saints surrounds you at all times. And of course, even in the most secular of secular places, the King is in the building if you call on Him.

• Questioning your career choices? “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You!”
• Close to losing your temper? “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.”
• Feeling uncharitable? “Lord, give me the grace not to judge others.”

And if you don’t feel comfortable going straight to “Management” turn to his mother.

• “Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
• “Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.”
• “Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!”

You may recognize those brief prayers as classic “aspirations” — a fabulous tradition in the Church and tailor-made for Catholic professionals who want to actively practice their faith in a secular workplace. And you can do it quietly, in a single, silent or near-silent breath. In fact, the word “aspiration” traces back to a Latin word — that word is aspirare, which means “to breathe upon.” In prayer, an aspiration is a brief prayer we breathe out on behalf of ourselves or others.

4. Prayer has a great pedigree.

Where Catholic aspirations started is anyone’s guess, but there are plenty of them to be found. Christians have been cranking them out for a long time…in the neighborhood of two-thousand years, give or take. Why? Because trying to find appropriate ways of expressing one’s faith in the course of a day is nothing new. In 1st Thessalonians Chapter 5 St. Paul urges us to pray without ceasing, which definitely calls for some variety in the types of praying we do.

Indeed, trying to practice the Faith under the constraint of time or place has been going on for a while. One of the many great things about being Catholic is that we have two-thousand years of people who kept the faith through all sorts of hardships to rely on. If martyrs can sing songs of praise on their way to the lions, aspirations are sure to help Catholics preserving faith in the secular workplace.

“Aspiration” and “frustration” have more of a connection than the simple fact that they rhyme.

About the Author:

Jim Moore is a copywriter and editor, who is passionate about helping clients communicate about businesses, brands, products, people, companies and causes they believe in.

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The post Preserving Your Catholic Faith in the Secular Workplace appeared first on Catholic Professionals.

Here are 5 ways to emphasize your Catholic business values. Even though your brand name might not be openly Catholic.

1. Include Catholic Business Values in your mission statement.

I know someone who owns a private investigative company. He is a devout Catholic, but the company is not overtly Catholic. The word Catholic is not in their company name, and they work primarily with secular clients.

But if you go to his “About Us” page, the very first line is “Our primary mission in life and work is to bring pleasure to God, through service.” He goes on to describe how his work as a private investigator honors God and ends with a quote from John 8:32.

It’s not in your face. If it weren’t for the About Page, you would never know that this man’s primary mission for the company is to honor God.

And yet, he runs what I would call a “Catholic business”.

Not everything that you do has to be branded Catholic in order to be a Catholic business. But a great way to express this motivation for your company and life is in your mission statement. Reference your liturgical ministries in a blog post. Perhaps include a Bible verse in your email signature, and state your intentions right in your mission statement with words like “Truth,” “Beauty,” and “Evangelization.”

A great example of this subtle business statement is Forever 21. They print John 3:16 on the bottom of each of their bags. While they don’t say anything about it in their about us page, this small gesture reflects their motivation.

2. Highlight your Catholic Business Clients

If you want to be a Catholic business, a great way to emphasize that is by highlighting your past Catholic clients on your website. As a Catholic business owner myself, I will know that a business orients itself to a Catholic mission when I see that other fellow Catholic business owners trust them.

Even better, include Catholic lingo in your description of these projects to show you’re “in the know” and not just a secular organization that happened to have a Catholic client.

Don’t have any Catholic clients? Volunteer your businesses’ expertise to your parish and ask for a reference for your website in return.

3. Run your Catholic Business Ethically

Run your business ethically, help others, and people will notice. To begin with, make sure that your interaction with clients is surrounded by justice:

• Responsibility for what you promise
• Honesty and fairness in what you deliver

However, if you want to practice your faith in your Catholic business, your actions should be smothered as well in charity:

• Kindness in your communication
• True desire to help your clients succeed
• Patience, humility and sometimes even forgiveness

Business actions speak louder than advertising. If you want to be a Catholic business, hold your business to the same standards that you hold yourself.

4. Tithe Your Profits

People respond to businesses that reflect their own values. A great example of this is Chick-Fil-A. The company’s dedication to not being open on Sundays has generated a large fan base.

For my own company, I decided that I would tithe 10% of my profits each year and donate them to charity. It’s something that I do in my personal life, so why not carry it over to my business? On a personal note, I find tithing very rewarding because it reminds me regularly of what I value most.

It was only later that I realized that people would probably appreciate working with a company that they knew tithed. So, I included that fact about our company in my email signature and on our website.

The faith is so important to me and my company that I follow all of it, even the parts that make me give up profit I’ve worked so hard to earn. Don’t be afraid to highlight what makes your company Catholic in your advertising or on your website. It simply shows your clients that you are really committed to what you value most. 

5. Pray with Your Employees

Another highlight of your Catholic business values is a staff who prays together. How can we possibly begin to serve God’s people without first praying for each other and for our clients? Consider inviting your staff to join you for the Liturgy of the Hours each morning. Maybe set aside one lunch hour each week to go to a nearby Daily Mass or Holy Hour.

Obviously, while you shouldn’t force your employees to pray with you, having it as an option for those who would like to definitely helps you value your faith as a business.

In brief:

Most of all, run your business with heart. People will be sure to notice your Catholic business values. After all, at the end of the day, it’s really your audience who determines who you are. So if you intend to be a Catholic business and your audience sees you as such, then … you’re a Catholic business.

About the Author:

Emily Ricci is the president of Gloriam Marketing, and works as a marketing content and social media specialist at a Catholic college and previously worked at a church for over 7 years. Her past church titles and responsibilities have included working as a Parish Office secretary, sacristan, Weekend Coordinator (ministry supervisor and event coordinator), youth minister, bulletin writer, coordinator of the baptism program, and Faith Formation teacher and assistant. After years in church work, Emily recognized the need for solid Catholic marketing and promotion, but realized that there were no marketing firms in the area that specialized in faith-based marketing.

Search here for Catholic job postings, or Catholic Professionals you can hire.

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Whether you’re freelancing or temporarily removed from the office, here are seven ways to pray while working from home! And the best part is, you can use all of these when you go back to the office in person! 

#1: Start a Prayer Group 

When COVID-19 lockdowns first began, people were stressed and scared more than usual. My husband, the only Catholic at his company, was asked to begin a prayer group with his co-workers every morning. They started fifteen minutes earlier than the regular work day. This grounded their work and lives in the Lord and each other’s prayers. 

It can be uncomfortable to suggest praying with your coworkers, especially virtually. If prayer per se is too bold to pull off, you may consider starting a moment of group support or reflection, open to all faiths. Who knows, you may end up surprised how many Christians or even Catholics you already work with that you didn’t know about!

#2: The Angelus

Though the history of the Angelus is a bit more sparse than many other Catholic prayers, it remains a popular devotion for working Catholics. The Angelus is a brief meditation on the Annunciation traditionally said three times a day: at 6 a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m. In past times, church bells would toll at those hours to summon the surrounding Catholics to stop work and pray. 

If you aren’t already waking up at 6 a.m., it might be tough to begin doing so just for the Angelus. Try setting an alarm for noon to remind you to take a quick break and pray right where you are! If you’re already stopping for lunch, it might be just as easy to pray this beautiful prayer before your midday meal.

#3: Say Grace

While most Catholics say grace before the three main meals of the day, feel free to incorporate it into your snacking routine, too! Saying grace is a great reminder to be grateful for all the food that we are given, and to ask God’s blessing upon it. Whether it’s a mid-morning PopTart or some afternoon veggies, saying grace is a great way to pray while working from home. 

Many families like to add their own little personal prayers to grace. Scripture quotes, intercession for those who are less fortunate, and prayers for the poor souls in Purgatory are all popular ones. In this year of St. Joseph (a saint with great advice for working Catholics), my husband and I like to add “St. Joseph, please intercede for all the men of the Church” to the end of our grace. 

#4: Literally Pray While Working

Not all prayer needs to be vocal or standardized. Internally practicing gratitude or asking for patience with a frustrating problem are ways to cultivate a relationship with Him without stopping everything. 

Talking to God throughout your work day is helpful in building a reliance on His grace and support. It also alleviates some of the stress of your job. Keeping an Image of Our Lord taped to one of the three flat screen monitors in your workspace can make it easy to pray while working – all you have to do is glance over and say “Hi” or if you’re a simple soul, maybe you can give Jesus a quick fist bump.

#5: Find a Patron Saint

Sometimes it can seem like ancient saints are out of touch with our contemporary work world. Remember, saints are alive in Heaven and want to pray for us as much as we want to be prayed for! 

There are numerous patron saints for modern problems and careers. Saints are given patronage for a reason! Learning about the saint of your work can aid in your decisions to pray while working. You can also offer any highs and lows up to the Lord through the hands of the patron.

#6: Use Your Commute Time

If you are back in the office, use the time where you’re driving to work to pray or meditate on the upcoming day. And if you’re still working from home, use the time you normally drive to sit quietly in the presence of God to calm your soul and ask for strength for the coming day.

One of the coolest things about Catholic prayers is that there are prayers for just about any length of time. Is your commute normally five minutes long? A chaplet of Divine Mercy or morning offering will work well. Fifteen minutes? Listen to the liturgy of the hours. Twenty? Get that daily Rosary in! Even longer? Mix and match, turn on some worship music, or just talk to God out loud! 

#7: Make the Sign of the Cross

The sign of the cross is one of the simplest ways to pray while working, and yet it is deeply profound when made with intentionality. The sign of the cross is a reminder to ourselves that we are marked as Christians. We are protected by the Lord, and are asked to carry our own crosses each and every day. Demons flee from the sign of the cross, and it will strengthen and refocus you on what is most important. 

You can make the sign of the cross at any pivotal moment of your workday. Before work begins, before a big meeting, before and after any other prayers, and right after you sign off. Making your work a prayer and bookending it with such a powerful sign is a way to integrate your faith into your professional life. If you haven’t yet, get yourself a bottle of Holy Water and keep it handy in your home. Using it with reverence and humble petition allows God to touch us in ways we may not even see.

Concluding Remarks:

One of the most important elements of a holy lifestyle is the ability to orient all aspects to the Lord. Christ should be the vibrant, burning center of a life that revolves around him – work, chores, play, charity, eating, etc. 

Hopefully these ways to pray while working, even from home, will help you in giving your entire day to Jesus and keeping the faith alive even while doing your job. 

About the Author

Ella Matthews is an actress and writer who graduated with a Communications Media degree from a film school in California. She lives with her husband in Indiana, loves tea and interior design, and wants to be a mom.

Search here for Catholic job postings, or Catholic Professionals you can hire.

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Work has always been a fundamental human right, but it was never meant to take over. As good as it is for the body and soul, there’s always the danger of turning our lives into an endless laundry list of tasks that inspire drudgery, instead of health and virtue … enter some wise advice from Saint Joseph.

This liturgical year dedicated to Saint Joseph gives us a special opportunity to get to know the foster father of Jesus on a deeper level. He can teach us how to find deep spiritual and human fulfillment in the work we do. 

Here is some advice from Saint Joseph for your daily life: 

Tip 1: Take Pride In Your Work

Carpentry isn’t a glamorous career. We know that Saint Joseph was a carpenter because Jesus is called the “carpenter’s son”.

Did Saint Joseph enjoy his trade? We don’t know. But he provided for his family by doing a craft well and teaching it to his son. He took pride in his work because he was able to support his family and take care of the practical needs of others. The Church even named him the patron of workmen!

We have a saying in my house: we don’t live for the weekend. As tempting as it can be, God doesn’t ask us to slog away at our place of employment so that when Friday night hits, all bets and decorum are off. We can look forward to it, sure, but live for it? We are meant, rather, to live every day to the full, and that includes taking pride in what we do.

There’s a phrase from Martin Luther King that exemplifies this attitude well:

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

To take pride in your own work it helps to stop at times in prayer and think of all the people whose live are affected by what you do. The employees and clients and their families, and all the lives they in turn touch. Your job well done has much more impact than maybe you ever imagined.

Tip 2: Serve Others

My husband works a customer service job that would probably drive me legitimately insane. He doesn’t like it any more than I would, but I’m inspired by how he treats his clients and coworkers with the same cheerful love and respect that he treats his family and friends. His secret? Consciously serving God’s sons and daughters.

Did Saint Joseph want to be a carpenter? Again, we don’t know. But surely he made every table and chair with the same gentle love that he showered on Mary and Jesus. That’s precisely the secret to being a Christian: our love for God is shown in the way we treat our neighbor.

Maybe you chose your own career, or perhaps you are still discerning a difficult career choice. Whatever your job is, as a Christian, you have the opportunity to put your work at the service of your love for God. As Mother Teresa used to say:

“Do small things with great love.”

Try smiling at your most annoying coworker. Clean up a mess that isn’t yours. Give a compliment. In short, put people first while doing your work, and you’ll find that this advice from Saint Joseph will make all the difference.

Tip 3: Frequent Adoration

Saint Joseph literally lived with God incarnate, and since his conception spent his entire life adoring him. He was grounded in that relationship no matter what happened in carpentry. We see from the lives of other saints how much strength they drew from time spent with the Blessed Sacrament! How much more Saint Joseph must have thrived as he lived and worked with God incarnate!

This advice from Saint Joseph invites you into a more personal relationship with the Lord and it will affect all areas of your life, including your work and maybe even help you evangelize your coworkers. Spending free time with Him in adoration fills your cup to pour out to your boss, your cubicle buddy and your family. As you seek to follow His will through your work, He will bless you however He sees fit!

Tip 4: Learn to Rest

Saint Joseph the Worker knew the importance of priorities – was it likely that he worked in the shop at the expense of Jesus and Mary? Or do you suppose he left work at the proverbial five o’clock to be present to his wife and child?

This advice from Saint Joseph reminds us of the need to be present to those around us. Time well wasted, is time well spent. Sometimes we have to push back against a consumer minded worldview in order to dedicate time to doing what matters most – spending time with God and others.

Tip 5: Consecrate Yourself to St. Joseph the Worker

In this year of Saint Joseph, there is an increasing devotion to St. Joseph and the virtues that we can imitate in him.

Maybe consecration has always sounded a little scary for you? That’s okay. I would invite you to prayerfully consider it in this year dedicated to St. Joseph. Maybe now is the right moment.

Fr. Donald Calloway wrote a book on consecration to Saint Joseph. Drawing closer to Jesus’ foster father can only benefit your life. The man who spent his life quietly working and serving but ended up with titles such as “Terror of Demons” and “Patron of the Universal Church” is a man worth getting to know better.

Saint Joseph’s mark on the Church is one that has grown steadily and will only continue to grow. Celebrate this Year of Saint Joseph by practicing advice from Saint Joseph and the virtues of good work! His guidance and paternal love will benefit you in every way as you navigate the challenges of a world.

About the Author

Ella Matthews is an actress and writer who graduated with a Communications Media degree from a film school in California. She lives with her husband in Indiana, loves tea and interior design, and wants to be a mom.

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The post Practical Advice from Saint Joseph for Working Catholics appeared first on Catholic Professionals.

My full time job is in marketing for higher education. I happen to work at a Catholic institution, but my work has almost nothing to do with the school’s Catholic roots. Thus, my job description has nothing to do with the faith.

However, my job description as a Catholic does. 

Maybe you’re in the same position as I am: you’re a strong Catholic, and you know that evangelizing doesn’t end in church. But you can’t really afford to lose your job over it. How do you reconcile working for a secular organization when your true life’s mission is to share about Jesus?

Don’t be afraid to share your faith to evangelize in the workplace, but don’t overdo it.

It’s the long-standing joke in my office that I am the “religious one.” If anyone has questions about saints, how to spell things related to Mass, or religion in general, they come to me. And we laugh and pretend like we don’t know why they’re coming to me about it.

They know I’m the “religious one” because I’ve been open about leaving on my lunch hour to go to Mass for Holy Days of Obligation. I would talk openly about getting my master’s in Theology or how the college class I teach in Theology is going. And my religious studies minor on my resume also helped give it away. 

However, I don’t go around wearing a giant sign that says “I’m a Christian!” in big bold letters or try to steer every conversation to God. I simply live my life, and if they ask about my faith or it comes up naturally, I take that as an invitation to give a simple witness that’s focused on me, not them.

Sharing your faith doesn’t always mean talking about it. It sometimes means just not hiding it.

Don’t be Judgy. 

It was a few weeks after my wedding. It came up that my co-workers thought I’d moved in with my husband before our wedding. (I hadn’t.) I had been talking about “moving weekend” a few months previous. So I stopped and explained simply that my stuff had moved, but I had not until after our wedding.

They seemed relieved. One said he had been surprised that I’d move in before the wedding. However, they figured if I was doing it, it must be okay. (Remember, I’m the “religious one.”) “Well, we’re both going to hell,” he remarked to my other co-worker, because they both lived with their spouses before they got married.

I stopped at that. What should I say to that? Should I condemn them for their actions or just go along with it?

In that moment, I decided to ignore it. I knew that if I went down the road of condemnation, I’d lose every opportunity I had left to talk about faith. So, I decided to simply laugh it off. That way, they’d feel they could continue to talk to me about faith without judgment. I could choose to ignore their weaknesses because they weren’t mine to judge. It wasn’t the right moment for that type of witness.

I’ve had many scenarios where co-workers bring up something I don’t agree with. It’s easy to rush to judgment, and it sometimes feels like the right call. After all, shouldn’t we defend the Catholic position no matter what? When we’re trying to evangelize in the workplace, it can feel like we always have to be on the defensive.

But then I think of the story with Jesus and the woman caught in adultery and realize that it is not my place to throw stones. I can only witness to my life.

When caught in a situation like this in your secular workplace, discern the line between judgment and loving witness. Take a temperature of the situation. Chances are, if your co-workers are not already Catholic, your condemnation of their actions probably won’t convince them otherwise – and could just get you in trouble with HR.

You might have to get personal to evangelize in the workplace. 

At a bachelorette gathering recently, one of the bridesmaids asked me if I used Natural Family Planning. She knew I am a devout Catholic from other conversation and wanted to know more. I was taken aback at the question, given the setting and the fact that I barely know her. However, I realized it was an opportunity for evangelization, so I talked about it and why we choose to use it. 

Another time, one of my co-workers came into my office and asked whether or not you had to be sorry for a sin in order to confess it. We had a great conversation about confession and why Catholics believe in it.

In both of those instances, I could have shied away from the conversation because it was too personal or too religious. However, I believe if you’re in a secular situation and someone asks you about your faith, they lose their right to be offended by what you say. So don’t be afraid to get a little personal!

Just live your life.

What do you say when someone asks about your weekend plans? Do you mention Mass, or do you gloss over it? Don’t be afraid to talk about going to Mass when people ask about your weekend plans. We get so afraid of offending people we simply don’t bring it up, hiding this part of ourselves from the rest of the world.

Dr. Scott Hahn, in his talks on evangelization, likens this to talking about the ball game over the water cooler. You’re just talking about your life!

So wear your religious jewelry proudly. Make the Sign of the Cross before meals. Sometimes, the best way to evangelize in the workplace is simply to live your life.

Extend an invitation.

82% of people who no longer attend church say they would consider going if someone simply invited them. 

One of the best chances you have of reaching the unchurched is outside of church, and one of the main places you see people (most likely) is at your secular job.

If you are particularly close to a co-worker, consider offering him or her an invitation to meet you for Mass one Sunday. Make sure you are pleasant and not commanding in your offer. If the answer is no, accept it and don’t bring it up again. 

But if you succeed, you could be bringing someone back to God, and there is no greater job responsibility than that.

Think about this: Perhaps the very reason you have this job is to extend that invitation to your co-worker.

The worst thing that can happen is they say no.

———————–

Being Catholic in the workplace is really no different than being Catholic in the rest of the secular world. Yes, there is the added concern of your job safety, but as long as you are kind, loving, and open, you shouldn’t have any problems.

And those tips go for evangelizing everywhere too!

Editor at CatholicProfesssionals.net

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