As the Church prepares for Easter during Holy Week, Asian Catholic business leaders attend an online UNIAPAC Asia event to explore their vocation as missionary disciples in the marketplace.
By Chainarong Monthienvichienchai, LiCAS News Catholic business leaders across Asia were urged to embrace their vocation as missionary disciples in the marketplace during an online Lenten recollection held on Palm Sunday, March 29, organized by Thailand’s Catholic Business and Executive Professionals (CBEP). The gathering brought together entrepreneurs and executives from across the region as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration within UNIAPAC Asia, following recent regional engagements in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. UNIAPAC is an international meeting place for Catholic business executives to promote Christian social thought within the business world. Held at the start of Holy Week, the recollection invited participants to reflect on Palm Sunday as both a moment of triumph and a prelude to Christ’s Passion. Organizers encouraged lay leaders to examine the depth of their faith and prepare for a more meaningful encounter with the Paschal Mystery. Business as a Christian vocation In his keynote address, Father William LaRousse, assistant secretary-general of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, emphasized that business is not merely a profession but a vocation rooted in discipleship. Quoting Lumen Gentium, he noted that all the faithful are endowed with gifts to build up the Church, including those in economic life. “A disciple is one who follows Christ radically, allowing his life and work to be transformed,” he said. Fr. LaRousse highlighted key characteristics of discipleship: fidelity to Christ’s word, love for others, fruitfulness, and willingness to embrace sacrifice. He stressed that following Christ requires perseverance and a readiness to “count the cost,” even amid professional and personal challenges. Faith amid business realities Drawing parallels between the Passion of Christ and the modern business world, Fr. LaRousse said ethical dilemmas, competition, and pressure for profit often test Christian values. “Holy Week is not just history—it unfolds today in boardrooms, negotiations, and workplaces,” he said. He urged business leaders to imitate Christ’s self-emptying love, seeing their enterprises as communities of persons rather than merely profit-driven ventures. Profit, he said, must serve the common good and uphold human dignity. Referring to Church teaching on the vocation of business leaders, he added that economic life must integrate both material and spiritual dimensions, addressing issues such as justice, labor, and care for the poor. A missionary call for entrepreneurs The recollection also featured a meditation by Father Will Conquer, spiritual adviser of UNIAPAC Asia, who reflected on the call of the first disciples. “Your markets, factories, and enterprises are not far from the shores of Galilee,” he told participants. “The same Lord walks among your daily work.” He pointed to biblical figures such as Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, Paul, and Lydia—individuals engaged in business and labor—whose skills were transformed into instruments of mission. “The Lord does not ask you to abandon your competence,” he said. “He asks you to let Him transform it.” Fr. Conquer described the uncertainties of business as the “deep waters” of faith, where leaders are called to trust God and act with courage and integrity. Ethics, justice, and service Both speakers underscored that Catholic social teaching offers a clear framework for ethical entrepreneurship. Business leaders, they said, are called to create goods and services that benefit society, provide dignified work, and ensure the just distribution of wealth. They warned against excessive attachment to profit, recalling Scripture’s teaching that the love of money can lead to moral compromise. Instead, wealth should be seen as a means of service. Participants were encouraged to examine areas in need of conversion, including unjust practices and neglect of the poor, and to align their decisions with Gospel values. The recollection concluded with a call for Catholic entrepreneurs to live out their faith concretely through ethical leadership, generosity, and service to society. “Your businesses can help build the Kingdom of God,” Fr. LaRousse said. “They can be profitable, but also just and life-giving.” As Holy Week begins, participants were reminded that discipleship is not separate from professional life but is lived within it through daily choices that reflect Christ’s love, sacrifice, and mission.