Religious Symbols in the Workplace
What courage and pride in our faith it took to place the unmistakable symbol of our universal Church right in their offices – right where their partners, staff and clients would see – right in the heart of our secular business world!
Would they be labeled religious wackos, or worse “hypocrites” for setting a standard for their lives which no one, except Our Lord and Blessed Mother, could entirely live up to? Would they lose clients? What was the reaction of their partners?
The issue of religious symbols had come up during the first couple of meetings intended to organize the St. Thomas More Society. A small number of lawyers wanted to form a group whose stated purposed was to change the face of the legal profession in the pattern of St. Thomas More, the famous martyr, lawyer and chancellor of England, who gave his life for refusing to sanction Henry VIII's first divorce. We ask ourselves how the legal profession had sunk from a high calling to a “trade”, a trade held in very low public esteem.
We agreed that one clear part of the answer is that Christian lawyers have been unwilling or unable to integrate their Christian faith into their law practices. Somehow the legal profession, like society itself, had been secularized – no Golden Rule – 10 Commandments on the Courthouse walls. A legal system where naked self-interest, power and rugged individualism has fully displaced the themes of justice, honest, mercy and equality. We knew the present reputation of the legal profession was the fruit of a practice of law divorced from Judeo Christian morality and the Natural Law.
Evangelizing Our Professions
The issue for our small group was how to evangelize our profession, how to demonstrate a rooted Christianity, which itself would galvanize our profession.
My heart kept turning to my friends' crucifixes in their offices. How would anyone know I am a Catholic by entering my office? In the past neither my practice, nor my office behavior constitute the “witness” I desired. Now after a long spiritual journey culminating with a Cursillo retreat, I wanted my entire life, including my law practice, to testify to my love of Christ and my commitment to a Christian life.
It is sad to say that I was truly apprehensive in openly declaring my Catholic Christianity. In hindsight I think I was afraid of the standard I was setting for myself – could I meet Christ's expectations? I am a sinner; will I humiliate myself and our Church by openly declaring my faith? What will my partners say? Would I lose clients? God forbid my faith actually affecting my income or my reputation!
After several weeks of on-again, off-again reflection and prayer, I knew I needed to take the small but tangible step of proclaiming my Catholic faith at my office. I journeyed to the local Catholic bookstore and purchased a 6 inch bronze crucifix and place it on my bookshelf next to a picture of my family.
No public pronouncements, no fanfare, just my own humble proclamation like that of the Spanish conquistadors, “I claim this office for Christ.” Indeed, I claim this life for Christ.
The words of our Lord rang clear: “So if anyone declare himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in Heaven” (Matthew 11:32).
Not Afraid of the Label
The results from my “daring” display of faith were no earth-shattering or immediate. In fact, no one has ever mentioned my office crucifix! However, my little reminder of my faith has probably been a topic of discussion in my firm, and I am absolutely sure that every client entering my office takes note: this man is a Catholic Christian, and is not afraid of the label!
After all my internal fretting about what others would think, maybe the most important result of my crucifix is my relationship with our Lord: He knows that I love Him enough to openly declare such love. The thousands of daily glances at my “little reminder” help this sinner try to be the face of Christ every day.
Greg Weiler is a partner at Partner, Palmieri, Tyler, Wiener, Wilhelm & Waldron LLP specializing in transactional real estate law. He is one of five founding members of the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, California. He and his wife, Mary Lou, have 4 children, and are members of St. Edward's Parish in Dana Point, California.
