Values or Value? Seek Both

Investing is fraught with decisions, even more so if you aim to live by specific principles. After all, if you seek to uphold Catholic values, how can you feel good about investing in products or policies that don’t align with Church teaching? How can you—however inadvertently—fund organizations or governments that actively cause harm? Even if you do try to tailor your investments to your spiritual values, it can be tough to distinguish the good from the bad, as the lines are often blurred by corporate buyouts and mergers. But sitting on your money doesn’t seem smart financially, either, especially at a time when money market accounts offer an average interest rate of just 0.09%1. It’s not spiritually wise, either: Remember, the Gospel2 teaches us not to bury our silver in the ground. So what’s a faithful would-be investor to do?

You Can Invest According to Your Values…

Faith-based investing can solve your ethical and financial dilemma. Our ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) only invest in companies whose business practices are aligned with the investment policies of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Created in 2003, these guidelines help investors address their responsibility as faithful stewards. The guidelines follow six major themes:

  • Protecting human life
  • Promoting human dignity
  • Reducing arms production
  • Pursuing economic justice
  • Protecting the environment
  • Encouraging corporate responsibility

The USCCB guidelines also include specific strategies to identify which investment opportunities align with the values above. In other words, when you invest in an ETF from Faith Investor Services (FIS), you can be assured your money will do no harm, as it will not be invested in any companies “whose products and/or policies are counter to the values of Catholic moral teaching or statements adopted by the Conference of bishops.” In addition, your money may help promote the common good, by upholding policies and initiatives that promote Catholic values, and promoting community development initiatives that aid the poor or provide other social advancements.

…Without Sacrificing Financial Value

But investing isn’t just about upholding values, it’s about providing value for you and your family. Since the Knight of Columbus Asset Advisors (KoCAA) actively manage our ETF you’ll benefit from their 135+ years of experience.

In addition, Faith Investor Services’ ETFs offer not just exposure to a broad range of companies in the domestic and emerging markets, but also compelling long-term investment opportunities from companies whose ethical business practices may possess long-term sustainable value.

If you’d like to invest while upholding your values, we’d love to tell you more about our ETFs, and the way we work with investors to ensure their money supports the good in the world. Contact us today to learn more about faith-based investing.

 

  1. As of June 21, 2021 – source: https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/resources/rates/
  2. Matthew 25:14-30

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