Faith-First Investing

In our current culture, money moves the world—and it can also help mend it. The Felician Sisters of North America are part of a growing movement transforming the role of investment capital in society. Known as faith-first investing or social impact investing, this approach uses financial resources not solely for return, but as a moral force for good. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, faith-first investing seeks to build economic systems that protect human dignity, promote justice and care for creation.

Decades ago, women religious were among the first to challenge exploitative financial practices, asking a groundbreaking question: How can we use our resources to advance our mission? That bold legacy continues today. The Felician Sisters—and many other Catholic institutions—intentionally align their investments with Gospel values. They avoid industries that harm people or the planet and actively seek out opportunities that foster thriving communities, sustainability and human rights. It’s not charity—it’s stewardship.

To strengthen their impact, the Felician Sisters partner with networks such as the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and the Francesco Collaborative. These networks provide tools, guidance and shared learning opportunities, empowering Catholic organizations to revise policies, explore opportunities and put their capital to work for justice, peace and ecological renewal.

The Felician Sisters’ commitment to faith-first investing is more than symbolic—it creates real impact. Recent examples of value-aligned action include:

• Supporting the protection of the Okefenokee Swamp, a biologically rich ecosystem under threat from industrial development.
• Advocating for accountability from Chemours, a major polluter of drinking water through PFAS or “forever chemicals.”
• Investing in funds with the objectives of reducing carbon emissions by one gigaton and providing water services to underserved communities in Latin America.

While the sisters may not lead every campaign, their support for like-minded shareholder efforts sends a clear message: Catholic investors have a moral stake in corporate responsibility and environmental justice.

“Our investments are not just financial decisions—they are moral decisions. Through faith-first investing, we are living our call to be stewards of God’s creation and protectors of human dignity.”

– Sr. Mary Jean Sliwinski, Sustainability Coordinator/Socially Responsible Investment Coordinator of the Felician Sisters of North America.

This commitment shows in how the sisters structure their investment strategy, aligned with Catholic Social Teaching. Every decision reflects core values:

• Human Dignity
• Care for Creation
• Peace and Justice
• Solidarity with the Marginalized

This includes screening out harmful industries—like fossil fuels, weapons and exploitative labor—and prioritizing sectors like clean energy, affordable housing, equitable healthcare and sustainable agriculture.

The sisters channel their investments into areas such as:

• Environmental protection (e.g., forest and wetland preservation)
• Water justice (e.g., addressing PFAS pollution)
• Community development (e.g., affordable housing projects)
• Health equity (e.g., expanding access to care)

Felician Sisters and their collaborators engage actively as shareholders—filing resolutions, voting proxies and raising ethical concerns. Through this advocacy, investing becomes a form of witness.

Ultimately, every values-aligned investment helps build an economy rooted not in extraction, but in care, cooperation and compassion. As Pope Francis reminded us in Laudato Si’:

“The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.”

Faith-first investing is one response to that call. It represents a shift from passive investing to purposeful investing—from simply avoiding harm to actively creating good.

If you feel inspired to explore values-based investing in your own life, you don’t have to start alone. Many investment advisors and financial firms now offer Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) or ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) options. Resources to explore include:

• Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR): www.iccr.org
• Francesco Collaborative: www.francescocollaborative.org
• USCCB Guidelines for Socially Responsible Investments (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops): www.usccb.org

Speak with your financial advisor about aligning your portfolio with your values—or explore firms that specialize in socially responsible investing. Every dollar carries influence. Together, we can use that influence to build a more just, compassionate and sustainable world.