Catholic business leaders from Thailand and the Philippines gathered at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Centre on June 7–8 for the inaugural session of the Catholic Business Wisdom Enhancement Program, a new formation initiative aimed at aligning business leadership with Christian values. Organized by the Catholic Business Executives and Profe-ssionals (CBEP) in Thailand and the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) in the Philippines, the program is part of a broader collaboration under UNIAPAC, the International Christian Union of Business Executives. The network represents over 45,000 executives from 38 countries and promotes faith-driven leadership across global markets. The CBEP Academy is designed as a spiritual and ethical roadmap for business, emphasi-zing discernment, responsible ste-wardship, and the understanding of work as a vocation. In the Philippines, the initiative has already reached more than 20,000 BCBP members.
“Work is not a consequence of sin, it is part of God’s plan,” said Bobby Lavina, chairman of Phinma Foundation Inc., during one of the sessions. He said work is “a noble thing and part of what it means to be human.” He challenged participants to reflect on the moral dimensions of modern business practice. ”What is the greatest challenge in your opinion to make the way business is done now reflect more the face of Christ?” he asked. Joey Avellana, president of Avellana & Associates, echoed this spiritual framing. He said God Himself “is a worker… the first worker.” “Because God created man in His own image, therefore God created man as a worker. We are God’s coworkers. We are God’s co-creators,” he added.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
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