Asked why he is a member of the Northern Virginia chapter of Legatus, which helps business leaders navigate the intersection of Catholicism and commerce, Gil Guarino had a natural response.
“We believe in bringing our faith into the workplace and to share values that are good for companies, whether they are Catholic or not, and passing that on to the next generation and associating with other Catholic couples that believe in their faith strongly,” he said.
Guarino and his wife, Janice, were at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington May 28, for the May monthly Legatus event for the NoVA chapter. Legatus is a chapter-based, international organization of business leaders who aim to live as ambassadors of the faith to the world and strive toward holiness.
The intimate monthly event began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge as part of the celebrations of the Jubilee of Entrepreneurs, part of the Jubilee Holy Year events held in the diocese and throughout the global church.
Legatus means ambassador, a quality Bishop Burbidge reflected on in his homily on Christ’s dialogue on the vine from John 15. “We remain in the Lord when we allow ourselves to go out in the world, living, sharing, preaching his Gospel,” Bishop Burbidge said.
Following Mass, approximately 40 Legatus members attended a reception and dinner with Bishop Burbidge at the St. Thomas More Center.
“This is like an oasis of orthodox, Catholic thinking for folks who are living most of their lives in the secular business world, where it is increasingly anti-Christian,” said John Sekel, president of the NoVA chapter. “So, this is a place to get away with like-minded people and talk about common issues and how to deal with issues that come up in the workplace.”
“I think it’s important to have an intentional focus for folks in business to come together and think about how to live their faith in a robust way, as well as network and energize each other in how they live it out,” said Mark Rohlena, another local member.
Legatus strives to provide business leaders and entrepreneurs with faith formation and a community where they can build meaningful relationships with other Catholics running similarly sized organizations. Legatus is also unique in offering events and membership to couples — spouses receive all the benefits of membership, and participation as a couple in Legatus events is common. In addition to monthly meetings, members of Legatus attend pilgrimages, an annual summit, and in some chapters, small group forums.
Speakers at the Northern Virginia chapter have included Supreme Court justices, the new president of Christendom College in Front Royal, and other high-profile academic and business leaders from the area. Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN chairman of the board and CEO, addressed last month’s gathering; next month will feature Alexandra DeSanctis, fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington.
“One of the things that is unique about Northern Virginia is it makes it easy for us to have great speakers because there are so many famous people in the area,” Sekel said.
Supporting business leaders to live out their faith in the secular sphere, providing them with faith formation and building a supportive community is a key objective for Legatus. One of more than 95 chapters in the United States, the Northern Virginia chapter has grown in recent years to about 60 members.
In order to foster a close-knit and like-minded community, membership is open to those who are Catholics in good standing with the church, hold a top position in a qualifying organization that meets certain criteria for size and payroll volume. Membership is also open to those who may be retired but previously held a qualifying role. Those interested in membership complete an initial web form expressing interest. They are then contacted by a regional representative to continue the application process.
“It is a tremendous way for people to enhance their own spirituality while focusing on the business side of things,” Sekel said.
Find out more
To learn more about Legatus and its membership criteria, go to legatus.org.
