Carrying Christ into Your Workplace
How Catholic women entrepreneurs can turn everyday work into an act of living charity
“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39–40).
Introduction: Love That Moves
In the life of a Catholic woman in business, it is easy to become absorbed in output — deliverables, deadlines, strategy, and scale. Work can subtly turn inward, revolving around performance, identity, or achievement. Yet the spiritual discipline of active charity calls us outward again. It reminds us that our work is not only about what we build, but about who we bless while building it.
Active charity is not passive kindness; it is loving initiative. It moves first. It notices. It serves without waiting to be asked. In a world that rewards self-promotion and individual success, this outward posture becomes a quiet but powerful witness.
Saintly & Marian Inspiration
This month, we contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of the Visitation, celebrated on May 31. After receiving the news of Christ within her, Mary does not remain inwardly focused. She rises “in haste” to visit Elizabeth. She carries Christ, not just in her body, but in her actions.
Her journey teaches us something profound: to carry Christ is to move toward others. She does not wait until she feels ready or fully prepared. She goes. She serves. She rejoices.
In our own work, we are invited to do the same: to become women who carry Christ into every meeting, decision, and interaction.
Love Moves Outward
In business, it is easy to focus on tasks rather than people. Yet love is not static — it moves. It initiates. It sees others not as roles or functions, but as souls. When we choose to encourage someone intentionally, we participate in the same outward movement of charity that led Mary to Elizabeth.
Even a simple word of affirmation can transform a workplace culture. It reminds others that they are seen, valued, and not alone in their efforts.
Action: Encourage one colleague or client intentionally this week.
Further reading on CWIB: 6 Hallmarks of Catholic Mentorship
Presence is Ministry
Mary’s presence brought Christ to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth felt it immediately. In our work, presence is often fragmented. We listen while thinking of the next task. We respond while preparing our reply.
But true presence is a form of ministry. It communicates dignity. It reflects Christ’s attentiveness to each person. In a distracted world, undivided attention is a rare and powerful gift.
Action: Practice undistracted listening once daily (student, colleague, or collaborator).
Further reading on CWIB: The 5 Steps of Active Listening
Joy Multiplies When Shared
At the Visitation, joy overflows. Elizabeth rejoices. Mary sings the Magnificat. Their encounter is not competitive; it is collaborative joy.
In business, we are often tempted to withhold recognition or highlight only our contributions. But shared success multiplies joy. When we publicly acknowledge others, we build trust, strengthen relationships, and reflect a kingdom where no one rises alone.
Action: Share credit publicly for a success that was not yours alone.
Further reading on CWIB: The Destructive Game of Comparison
Charity is Strategic
Charity is not separate from strategy — it is strategy. When our work genuinely blesses others, it becomes sustainable, impactful, and meaningful.
Mary’s visit was purposeful. She brought Christ into a real human situation. In the same way, our work must move beyond abstraction to real impact. Who is being helped? Who is being lifted? Who is being served?
Action: Review how my work concretely blesses others.
Further reading on CWIB: Joining a Board to Glorify God
Practical Reflection Box: 3 Ways to Carry Christ into Your Work
Begin each workday with an intentional mission. Before starting your tasks, pause and pray: “Lord, let me carry You into every conversation today.” This shifts your mindset from performance to presence.
See people, not just roles. In every interaction — client, student, colleague — ask: What does this person need beyond the task? This cultivates empathy and transforms routine work into ministry.
Build structures of charity into your work. Design your systems — feedback loops, team culture, client engagement — in ways that prioritize dignity, encouragement, and growth. Charity becomes sustainable when it is embedded in how you operate.
Closing Prayer
“Mary, make me a bearer of Christ.”
Fruit of Prayer: Relational fruitfulness and quiet joy
Dr. Glory Enyinnaya is a management consultant who worked at Accenture before founding Kleos Advisory. She is a member of the faculty of Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria. She blogs at www.gloryenyinnaya.com.