Catholic Business Forum Inaugural Lecture

The Catholic Business Forum invites you to its inaugural lecture for Catholics in Business and Industry.

The lecture, to be delivered by Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kanyago, will take place on may 31 at 17h00 at St Augustine's College. 53 ley Road, Victory Park, Johannesburg.

What is the Catholic Business Forum?

In 2015 an anonymous source leaked 11.5 million documents that detail financial and attorney–client information for more than 214,488 offshore entities.

These Panama documents, some dating back to the 1970s, were created by, and taken from, Panamanian law firm and corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca. The documents contain personal financial information about wealthy individuals and public officials that had previously been kept private.

While offshore business entities are legal, reporters found that some of the Mossack Fonseca shell corporations were used for illegal purposes, including fraud, tax evasion, and evading international sanctions. 

The breaking of this world story (and later the many other stories involving businesses especially in South Africa) brought to the fore the importance of adequate pastoral responses when it comes to issues of national and global importance. 

The most important tool of pastoral reflection and response is engagement. The Church, its people and ministers, are compelled to formulate for those Catholics in these industries, forums where and through which they  can be accompanied in their daily work.

Following several conversations with Catholics in business and industry it was felt that there needs to be a forum where Catholics can formulate a comprehensive pastoral response which goes beyond just pastoral statements. A forum where matters of industry can be measured based on their ability to serve the common good.  Through facilitating issues of business ethics, ethics in public life, philanthropy and a deeper spiritual understanding and meaning of being a Catholic Christian in industry the Church will be making a more direct intervention in response to the social ills and virtues found in South Africa and in the African continent.   The forum is also a tool through which the Church can offer pastoral care to its members in business, industry, government and other professions.  

Our Vision

The Catholic Business Forum is a forum which is comprised of women and men who strive to apply the principles of the Catholic faith to their daily lives in the marketplace. We seek to strengthen our Catholic faith by sharing professional experiences, fostering business ethics and social responsibility, and promoting community service.

Our mission

The mission of the Catholic Business Forum is focused on establishing a  dynamic association of businesses and persons to support each other in integrating our faith and work based on Catholic values especially the Catholic Social Teachings.CBF aims to achieve its objectives through:

1. Promoting Education informed by Catholic ethos:
   a. Education for those who are disadvantaged.
   b. Creating opportunities for empowerment and skills development for youth and those who are on the margins of opportunities 
   c. Facilitating and promoting the teaching of ethics in institutions of learning 
2. Facilitating joint philanthropic efforts as Catholics in business and industry.
3. To create a platform for networking and Catholic to Catholic support,
   a. Events: Breakfast Meetings, Lectures, think tanks etc.
   b. Formulating a directory for Catholics in different industries
   c. Erecting other Chapters across the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference territory.
   d. Developing relations with other Catholic business formations across the world.
4. To provide Pastoral Care (to deepen spirituality)  for professional persons, those in business, government and Industry
   a. Annual Retreat and Days of Recollection
   b. Spiritual Reading
   c. Spiritual Direction
5. To be active in the life of the Church
   a. By belonging to a parish community