“Cathedral thinking” is the kind of vision that takes generations to realize. I first heard the term in 2008 in a speech by Jim Rogers, then CEO of Duke Energy. He described how medieval cathedrals were built across centuries — and how that kind of multi-generational commitment was needed to transform our electricity grid. I […]
Last month, a dream came true. After three years of relationship building “to find the others”. We organized a gathering around Catholic social tradition and investment practice. And it was more than a gathering. It was a deep encounter. People felt moved by how deeply they were able to relate, and how meaningfully they could […]
I wrote this in 2020, but just found it and felt like it really meets some of what I’m up to right now as we finish the 7th workshop cohort & aim to build small teams within our broader Francesco / Catholic Impact Investing community. Let’s start with a definition I picked up from a […]
In our Livable Future Investing workshops, we like to start with a question that gets people talking about the heartbreak. We feel it’s important to connect with this grief, pain, as a way of opening up our empathy muscle to begin to strengthen the bonds of community and kind of culture we’re trying to create. […]
As I reflect on 2023 and prepare for 2024, I wanted to name a few inquiries that have begun to marinate inside of me. As Rilke says: Live the questions! Big Picture A couple macro trends I hope for over the next few years: On a more personal note Integrating with the big picture I […]
In 2023, I was introduced to Adrienne Buller’s The Value of a Whale: On the Illusions of Green Capitalism. It’s an extraordinary take down of the dominant ways we are approaching climate change and ecological crisis. Since I worked as a consultant for oil & gas companies in 2009, I’ve been looking for somebody who […]
I got depressed when I first started reading Janelle Orsi’s analysis about tax-advantaged retirement plans (401(k)s, 403(b)s, Individual Retirement Accounts (Roth IRAs and Traditional)). But, in 2023, I wanted to set up a retirement benefit for myself and my colleagues at Francesco Collaborative, so I was pushed to figure out what our options were. After […]
Perhaps it’s the mystery inherent in new life. Or maybe it’s the persistent nagging on my conscience that my money still isn’t creating the world I believe is possible. Either way, I’m trying to attend more deeply to a sense of wonder. I want to pause and notice… to appreciate and be in awe more […]
So much to chew on with the release of Francis’ new exhortation: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html To start with I’m offering this quick video reflection after my first read because I want to make a public commitment to you. There are no lasting changes without cultural changes. There are no cultural changes without personal changes. I love how […]
Being a person of faith and investing has been largely reduced to screening out bad things in your portfolio (ie producers of weapons, assault rifles, and others). Some of the more creative and thoughtful faith-based investors have pushed for more positive screening. I’m two years into learning the landscape and I’m struck by how few […]