A Roman Catholic bishop has called on church finance officers to critically examine where their investments go, stressing that it is morally indefensible for the church to profit from industries that cause harm to people or the planet.

“We cannot preach justice on Sunday while profiting from injustice on Monday,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, during a homily at the 24th Archdiocesan Financial Administrators of the Philippines Convention held on June 19.

Church investments, according to Bagaforo, must align with Christian values, warning that failing to do so puts the church’s moral credibility at risk.

“Our finances are not just tools — they are moral acts,” he said.

“They either support human dignity and the common good, or they fuel destruction and inequality.”

The bishop reminded church finance administrators of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) pastoral statements issued in 2019 and 2022. These statements urged all Catholic institutions, including dioceses, schools and congregations, to divest from extractive and destructive industries such as coal, fossil fuels, irresponsible mining and unsustainable logging.

“This is not just a financial shift, but a moral imperative,” Bagaforo said.

“The true wealth of the Church lies not in its assets, but in its witness to the Gospel — especially in the face of suffering, injustice, and ecological collapse.”

He clarified that this call to action does not mean an immediate severance from local financial institutions but rather engaging them in conversation to move toward ethical and sustainable investments.

“Divestment is not merely about withdrawal — it is about prophetic realignment,” he said. “It is about choosing investments that uplift life, not destroy it.”

Bagaforo cited real-life consequences of unethical investments, including the displacement of Indigenous peoples in the Sierra Madre, coastal pollution affecting fisherfolk in Manila, and land degradation due to mining in Mindanao.

“How can we serve the poor while profiting from systems that displace them from their lands, poison their waters, and erode their future?” the prelate asked.

“Every peso we invest must serve the Kingdom of God.”

As such, he reminded finance officers that their duties go beyond balancing budgets.

“You are caretakers of hope, builders of justice, instruments of integrity,” Bagaforo said.

“This is the moment when your ministry becomes a mission.”

While acknowledging financial pressures faced by dioceses, such as running schools, seminaries and social programs, Bagaforo urged church leaders to reflect on the human cost behind their investment gains.

“Are the returns from investments in dirty and unethical industries worth more than the lives, livelihoods, and dignity of the smallest of our brethren — the very ones Christ entrusted us to serve?”