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Fides Entrepreneurship: Debt and How It Contradicts Christianity
Luca Zocche
October 14, 2025
The Exodus from Egypt
It was a cold March night.
One of our Fides attendees, Terence (Founder of MuchoHangouts), invited me to a talk by Catholic University of America Professor Michael Pakaluk on his new book Be Good Bankers: The Economic Interpretation of Matthew’s Gospel, with a Fresh Translation.
During his talk, Professor Pakaluk spoke about how the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt was not only historical, it was symbolic of a deeper spiritual liberation from debt and sin through Jesus Christ.
In his interpretation, debt becomes a metaphor for sin itself and such the highest levels of debt reflect the highest levels of moral, spiritual disorder and sin.
When you look at the world today our dependence on credit, our rising consumer debt, and our endless pursuit of more it’s hard not to see the parallel. We may have built systems of prosperity, but perhaps we’ve also built systems of spiritual debt.
The likes of Debt, usury and inflation in principle are unchristian.
Saints throughout history have spoken out against this.
Such saints include:
Inflation
“If the prince debases the coinage after receiving money from his subjects, he commits fraud, and sins more gravely than a thief.”
Debt
“What man owes to God is greater, and yet God forgives his debt; and man, for a small sum, will not forgive his brother.
Usury
“What then is more unreasonable, than that one who has parted with his money, should demand an increase of that which he has parted with?”
Just as the Church condemned debt, usury, and inflation for their exploitation of man’s weakness, our conversation next week with James Fishback brings those questions rarely asked into reality.
Financially speaking how can we combat the world we live in that is so untruthful to itself.
Here are some of his viewpoints on a more Christian perspective and view towards the financial problems that are deepest in our hearts?
I think the true test of wealth is twofold.
Do you own your home?
And are you married?
My dad was growing up in the 1960s and half, half of 30-year-olds married and owned their home, half of 30-year-olds.
Luca, I just turned 30 in January. Only 15 % of 30-year-olds today are married and own their home.
Think so much of the downstream societal effects, whether it's addiction, addiction to drugs or substances or pornography, a lack of purpose, this detachment from our Christian faith so much of that is due to the fact that we don't have that relationship with the Lord, in part because we don't have that relationship with someone here.
I think that the bankruptcy system that we have in the US is a great way to address these fundamental issues, and what I would want to encourage the law and advocate for is the discharge of student debt in the bankruptcy system.
The truth is that bankruptcy is not something that people seek out because they want to somehow break the system or cheat the system. It is, in many respects, because they feel cheated by the system, and it's their last escape.
As you can see, it is, as James puts it, the downstream effect of a financial order that has forgotten God and how everything comes from him.
The principles of Divine Providence, Distributive Justice, the sanctity of the Sabbath, and even the messages of the Virgin Mary and Jesus in their approved visitations all remind us that we have lost both trust in God and vision for His divine order even in the financial world.
At Fides, we are grateful to open the door to this conversation. Our hope is that this Christian perspective on finance, through our fireside chat with James, can guide us toward a world where the economy once again can be more Christian, where we can truly live in a more Christian society.
Location: Dominican Academy, 44 East 68th Street, New York, New York, 10065
Date: Tuesday October 21st at 19:00
(Use the promo code BLESSEDSACRAMENT for 15% off)
Upcoming events
Thursday November 13th, 2025 at 19:00
Our November speaker is Anthony Viscogliosi, Founder & Principal of Viscogliosi Brothers, a single-family office with 21 companies focused on orthopedics and spine surgery innovation. He is also a parishioner and altar server as well at Old Saint Patrick's Cathedral.
Anthony’s story is one of resilience, faith, and mission as at just 14 years old, he survived a near-fatal accident that left him with severe orthopedic injuries a moment he calls the greatest gift God gave him. That suffering became the seed of his vocation: to dedicate his life to supporting doctors and inventors who relieve the suffering of others.
“The accident was the greatest gift that the Lord gave me. He gives us the greatest troubles so we can do the best work for him and for humanity.”
Anthony will share:
The turning points that shaped his faith and entrepreneurial vision
How one can start their own family office to do good
How God uses suffering as a gift that transforms us
This Dinner will take place in Lower Manhattan*.
*Location subject to change.
Thursday December 4th 2025 at 19:00
Our December Speaker is Rob Kaczmark, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Spirit Juice Studios, an Emmy Award-winning creative firm dedicated to spreading the Gospel through media.
Rob’s story is one of faith, creativity, and conviction. From his roots in youth ministry and BMX culture (punk rock, tattoos, ect) to building one of the most recognized Catholic media production company in the country, which has worked with Jonathan Roumie, Hallow, Bishop Baron and Mark Wahlberg.
During COVID, when churches were closed, Rob and his team livestreamed daily Masses from their in-office chapel, offering hope to thousands. His short films like The Veil Removed to launching a Catholic kids’ channel on YouTube continue to shape how Catholics experience and share their faith.
“A small little video, a livestream Mass or Divine Mercy hits the right person at the right time… Sometimes even just the appearance of someone on camera praying that looks a little different can bring someone in.”
Rob will share:
How his creative journey led to founding Spirit Juice Studios
Why incorporating a chapel into his office and offering mass there changed his company’s culture
How media can be used to plant seeds of faith in unexpected places
This Talk will take place at The Catholic Center at NYU in Lower Manhattan*.
We are deeply thankful to the support of Father Cassian and his team for making this possible!
Sign up here to confirm your attendance. *Location subject to change.
If you are an NYU Student or work for the university please reach out to us to get a free ticket, at [email protected] .
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