Alliance for Catholic Education
Excellence is the standard at the University of Notre Dame. Top students and athletes are attracted to this university to grow alongside others who want to be great. Many go on to be professional athletes, successful businessmen, or lawyers; however, few stop to think, “What is excellence?” The world suggests money, prestige, and power as indicators of success, but this is not the way it ought to be. The Beatitudes offer another vision: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land” (Matt 5:5); however, typical markers of success do not champion the humility and obedience that flows from being meek. Reflecting on our Catholic traditions offers a more fulfilling view of what excellence truly means.
St. Josemaria Escriva wrote, “Sanctity for the Christian lies in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well” (Conversations, 116). Everyone has different vocations; some may be called to be lawyers, others are called to be teachers, and others will be plumbers. Using the guidance of St. Josemaria, the prestige and power of this position ought not to matter as much as how faithfully one performs within the position. One of my mentors taught me a mindset to achieve this, stressing the importance of staying “humble and hungry,” which will lead to the type of success that Notre Dame students ought to strive for. By viewing our work in light of God while constantly striving to be the best version of ourselves, we can sanctify our work and bring the glory of excellence within a vocation.
Sanctification of work leads us to a deeper understanding of the meaning of work. St. John Paul II affirms this view of work, arguing that “Work is a good thing for man—a good thing for his humanity—because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being” (Laborem Exercens §9). When directed to our telos, or highest good in God, work is capable of building virtues within us that perfect our own nature and allow us to grow closer to God. With this heightened view of work in mind, we know that it is critical to find a workplace and job that not only allows us to progress professionally but also enhances the soul.
My Frassati internship provided this kind of fulfilling work while directly helping the Church. I was placed with St. Joseph Financial Services (SJFS) in South Bend, and I helped provide accounting services and financial planning for parishes, dioceses, and apostolates. SJFS cultivated a great, Catholic environment driven by the goal of helping the Church; alongside this, SJFS has excellent training that strives to make the best accountants. SJFS encourages each accountant to be the best version of themselves while having a mission of directly helping the Church. It is wonderful to have such a strong and explicit connection between faith and work, but most people will have secular jobs at some point in their career, in which they may need to be more intentional about harmonizing their work with their faith.
Next summer, I am interning at a secular firm in the finance sector. Though the firm is not explicitly Catholic, I am confident that the great culture and training will push me to grow my skills and enhance my professional capabilities. As long as I keep heaven as my telos in life, sanctify all my work with the glory of God, and remain grounded in my morals, I am confident that the lessons I have learned and the fulfillment I have felt throughout my Frassati internship will abound in my career.