On October 28, the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America, in partnership with Innovest, hosted the Christian Institutional Investors Conference (CIIC) — a day of prayer, reflection, and dialogue on how Christian principles can guide modern investment practices.
The day began in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, celebrated Mass before delivering his keynote address in Della Ratta Auditorium. His remarks, titled “Faithful Investing,” set a powerful tone for the day’s discussions, emphasizing that faith is not an ornament to our economic life but its “light and its measure.”
Archbishop Broglio reminded attendees that The Catholic University of America was founded with a distinctive mission — uniting sound scholarship with sound faith. He called on investors to see finance as a moral endeavor, noting that before economics became a separate science, it was already a “moral inquiry.” Drawing on the Church’s social teaching, he invited Christian investors to integrate their faith into their fiduciary responsibilities, asking:
“Can we not, therefore, integrate principles of Christian morality into our voting as stockholders… and limit our indirect involvement in the deadly arms trade, in life-ending pharmaceuticals, in agencies that exploit developing nations?”
Throughout his address, Archbishop Broglio highlighted the deep historical and theological roots of Christian engagement in economic life — from medieval moral theology to the civil economy of the Italian Enlightenment. He urged collaboration among Christian institutions to act together in stewardship, reminding attendees that “the Christian investor remembers that we are members of one body.”
Following the keynote, participants gathered in Heritage Hall for a series of panel discussions exploring the intersection of faith and finance — including sessions on ethical investing, stewardship, shareholder engagement, and the responsibilities of Christian institutions in shaping a moral marketplace.
The conference was organized by Professor Nicholas Schmitz, Traviesa Chair of Finance at the Busch School, in partnership with Innovest. Reflecting on the event, Professor Schmitz shared,
“We were so fortunate to have had Archbishop Broglio join us to offer his wisdom at the Christian Institutional Investors Conference co-hosted here at The Catholic University of America with our partner Innovest. His guidance set the tone for a productive day of ecumenical deliberations on how we can further the cause of faithful stewardship united in Christ.”
Dean Andrew Abela added,
“This is a fine example of our faculty engaging with important contemporary business issues from a clear Catholic perspective.”
Many attendees expressed that the liturgy and Archbishop Broglio’s keynote were highlights of the experience — inspiring a day of meaningful deliberations and fellowship among leaders from Christian ministries, foundations, religious communities, and universities.
Read the full speech by Archbishop Broglio here.
The full agenda and details are available at the CIIC website.
