In this podcast, Paulita Pike, CIS Trustee and Managing Partner of Ropes & Gray, moderates a panel from our 2024 Symposium on What Keeps Us Up At Night. Panelists include Adam Berger, Senior Managing Director, Multi-Asset Strategist and Portfolio Manager at Wellington Management, Michelle Knight, CEO & Chief Economist at Ropes Wealth Partners, and Paul Schott Stevens, CIS Trustee and Retired CEO of the Investment Company Institute.

Highlights

• Interest rates and their impact on the economy.
• Discussion on role and independence of the Federal Reserve.
• Concerns over fiscal spending and budget deficit.
• Geopolitical risks and inflation concerns.
• Rising government debt and impact on future generations.
• Discussion on budget deficit and fiscal responsibility.
• Inflation and its effect on income inequality.
• Evaluation of equity valuations and potential bubbles.
• The complexities of AI and its contrasting impact.
• Personal story on AI’s positive impact in healthcare.
• The need for thoughtful regulation of AI.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/

In this keynote, Juhi Dhawan, Senior Managing Director, Partner and Macro Strategist at Wellington Management Company, discusses the optimism surrounding the US Economy's productivity trends as well as its debt.

Highlights

• Face-off between productivity and debt
• Fed’s interest rate cut after four-and-a-half years
• Uneven U.S. economic expansion
• Election impact on U.S. economy
• Productivity trends and cost-cutting
• Immigration and its economic implications
• Importance of productivity in a tight labor market
• Long-term effects of AI adoption
• Industrial policy and U.S.–China relations
• Fiscal deficit concerns and election impact
• Risks of higher real interest rates
• Commercial real estate and interest rates
• Inflation risk and Fed policy balance

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/

This podcast features CIS Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Vanguard Group, Jack Brennan, and Ruchir Sharma, Chairman of Rockefeller International and Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Breakout Capital. The panelists discuss Ruchir Sharma's book titled: What Went Wrong with Capitalism.

Highlights

• Survey reveals young Americans favor socialism.
• Early American financial bailouts began in 1984.
• Regulation and risk-taking in financial sectors.
• The paradox of productivity amidst technological boom.
• Housing affordability as a generational issue.
• Impact of regulations on business dynamics.
• Capitalism’s role in fostering economic freedom.
• Major themes of capitalism addressed.
• Continual cycles and potential market corrections.
• Rising prominence of private markets.
• Investor’s role in capitalism’s future.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/

In this podcast, the panel discusses developments since the release of Mensuram Bonam a year ago. This webinar features CIS Board Chair and Founder Scott Malpass, Bernard Brenninkmeijer, Chairman of Porticus North America and a leading Catholic investor and philanthropist, Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI, Director of the Oblates' US Province Office of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, and Katie McCloskey, Vice President of Social Responsibility, Mercy Investment Services. The panel also discusses outcomes from the recent Mensuram Bonam Faith Consistent Investment Conference sponsored by the Vatican, where all panelists above participated as speakers.

Highlights

• Development of Mensuram Bonam and its goals
• The diverse regional perspectives and debates during the document's creation
• Mensuram Bonam's progression beyond USCCB guidelines and its wider application towards global perspectives
• How investor engagement strategies underpin impact
• Encouragement for smaller Catholic organizations to engage in dialogue about their investments in light of Monsurum Bonham
• How Mensuram Bonam and various Bishops Conferences address private capital and alternatives investing in terms of social responsibility
• The increasing interest among various faith-groups in integrating their faith and values into their financial and business operations

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/

In this session, Catholic Investment Services' CEO, Tom Lanctot, leads a panel discussion on aligning Catholic values with investment success. He is joined by Matt Rozyczka, CIO at Duquesne University, Tom Skiba, Investment Committee Chair for the Diocese of Fort Wayne South Bend, and Sister Suzanne Brennan, CSC, Councilor of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

Highlights

• The USCCB guidelines as a floor and hopes they could be updated in the future to address the needs more aggressively
• Predictions about investing aligning with Laudato Si' in the future are optimistic, despite challenges presented by student-led campaigns against investments in fossil fuels
• The challenges of addressing issues like labor and healthcare in emerging markets
• The quality of the investment committee in Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese
• American companies are making efforts to align with the guidelines of saving the planet, which can be a lucrative investment opportunity
• The dignity of work while balancing the disruptive influence of technology.
• Politicization and monetization of SRI or ESG and the importance of maintaining core values and letting the market drive the process
• The importance of leveraging the power of unity in the Catholic Church to affect positive social change

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/

Economic strain across many factors has continued to create challenges for Catholic institutions who seek to grow their endowments so that they may sustain their vital ministries. Please join us for a wide-ranging discussion focusing on the macro and micro environment and outlook for the new year. This webinar will feature Jack Brennan, CIS Founding Chair & Chairman Emeritus, The Vanguard Group, and Joe Davis, Vanguard's global chief economist and global head of the Investment Strategy Group, as they assess the current state of the capital markets, highlight investment challenges and risks, and share best practice ideas on institutional investment themes. Joe will also touch on his new book titled “Megatrends”, which demonstrates how AI, debt, demographics and deglobalization may impact the economy and markets in the coming decade.

Highlights

• Recent economic headlines concerning short-term and long-term economic forecasts
• Market reactions to rising interest rates on both the short and long end of the curve
• The importance of thinking in real return terms when considering investment portfolios for long-term returns
• Views on inflation due to the concerns it raises both organizationally and in investment portfolios
• How geopolitics factor into forecasts and advice to clients
• The value of risk management and considering a range of outcomes
• Slow moving trends that affect the economy and financial markets
• The major driving factors in future growth
• The role of diversification in investment portfolios and long-term planning

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/ 

In this podcast, we highlight ten common pitfalls of building a Catholic foundation and how to address them. This is a continuation of our previous podcast, on Strengthening and Structuring Catholic Foundations and Trusts. In this session, you will hear from Catholic fiduciaries and industry experts sharing practical advice on the ten most common mistakes to avoid when building a Catholic foundation, and offering best practice solutions.

Highlights

• Governance principles related to establishing and growing a Catholic foundation
• The importance of having adequate staffing in a foundation
• Why there should be clear communication between the foundation and the diocese
• Making grants to mission dioceses and the importance of not amassing large endowments at the expense of a mission
• The difference between the roles of the individuals responsible for building and managing a foundation
• How the commingling of assets and confusion of assets between foundations and the archdiocese can lead to gifts being allocated improperly or applied incorrectly
• The importance of understanding your investments
• Treating endowments as rainy day funds
• The importance of the small details in running the foundation

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/ 

In this podcast, Zela Astarjian, Managing Director at CIS, joins Sister Barbara Thomas of the United States Province of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Katie Thiemann of Cor Jesu Academy, and Sister Irene O'Neill of Sisters Rising Worldwide to discuss incorporating a culture of philanthropy in your religious community.

More and more, Catholic institutions are making advancement a priority. The reason: Without a strong advancement program, some organizations may struggle or fail in the decades ahead due to shifting demographics and donation practices among Catholics nationally. This will be an educational workshop and will cover essentials such as enhancing financial management practices, creating an advancement function, making fundraising more strategic and building a strong endowment. The discussion will examine how religious orders can secure their futures by implementing best practices for board and committee governance.

Highlights

• The aim of the session is to demystify fundraising with real-life examples on how to improve fundraising efforts
• Katie’s personal experience where a major donor initially said no, but later came back with a heavy donation
• Sister Barbara’s experience of shifting from school administration to fundraising, and how the needs of a province drive the fundraising activities
• The need for donations to support the home for the sisters, a responsibility handled by the fundraisers
• The importance of asking for a specific number when fundraising because it is statistically more effective
• Establishing a board instead of an advisory committee due to the major responsibility and commitment board members accept
• The initial challenges and eventual success of a dinner event
• Sister Barbara organized featuring Cardinal Dolan as the speaker
• The centerpieces at the tables which contained pictures of young individuals associated with their ministries and a quote about their life experiences
• The story of one of the sisters who actively engaged with attendees, just by getting them to sign in a visitors' book

Episode Resources

• Connect with Catholic Investment Services
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/about-us/#board-of-trustees
• https://catholicinvest.org/contact-us/
• https://catholicinvest.org/cis-institute/