The Opus Prize, Humility, and Catholic Social Teaching

“When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do … to win the praise of others,” Jesus enjoins his disciples in the Gospel according to Matthew. “[W]hen you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.”

Over the centuries, this teaching has engendered a humility in much of the social action and teaching undertaken by Christians; and other faith traditions, drawing on their own scriptures, have also shown a similar reticence about drawing attention to themselves in their service of fellow human beings.

As a result, some of the richest traditions of religious thinking and service have remained unseen in popular culture. Indeed, Catholic Social Teaching is often referred to as the Church’s “best-kept secret,” flying below the radar of many who focus on the liturgical, moral or political questions that tend to get the most press coverage.

Yet this teaching brings something unique and much-needed to the table today, even if it is not always recognized for its Catholic origins. It begins with an affirmation of the unique dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God. It embraces God’s special concern for those experiencing poverty or marginalization, and it extols the value of work as an expression of humanity’s creative spirit. It ultimately speaks to the transcendent nature of human rights and the responsibility to pursue the common good—the good of individuals and the good of our shared human community.

Even though few today could easily point to Catholic Social Thought’s first expression in Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, and many Catholics today struggle to recall the Latin titles of Pope Francis’ great social encyclicals, Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, the teachings they embody have a poignancy and relevance that speak to our present age. In the face of threats to economic well-being, environmental sustainability, democratic governance, and social belonging, CST stands as a lasting witness to values that give hope and motivate action.

And in the same way, faith-inspired leaders daily take up work that pushes against the challenges and suffering of our present age. Though often unseen and unheralded, they stand in solidarity with populations driven from their homes by violence and natural disasters; they accompany the incarcerated and those trapped in cycles of discrimination; they speak up and advocate for social change and inclusion.

I think of these “best kept secrets” – both teachings and actors – as Santa Clara University prepares to host the Opus Prize, which elevates awareness about “unsung heroes,” whose quiet work on the margins has a massive impact on individuals and communities. Though these heroes would never put themselves at the center of attention, given their embrace of Jesus’ teaching about humility, it is most appropriate that the Opus Prize makes them better known.

The Opus Prize is one of the world’s largest faith-based awards for social entrepreneurship. It annually bestows one $1 million prize, and two $100,000 prizes on organizations whose leaders, motivated by their faith, are pursuing long-term, local solutions to address poverty and injustice. Nearly 20 Catholic universities before us have partnered to help select these heroes, who never know they have been nominated until the Opus Prize knocks on their doors.

This year’s finalists are truly unsung, truly motivated by faith, and truly impactful.

Zach Presutti, S.J., is a Jesuit priest who turned a master’s degree internship into a mission to transform lives both behind and beyond prison walls through Thrive for Life (TFL) in New York City.

Francisca Ngozi Uti, HHCJ,  a sister of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, was born the third daughter of a Nigerian family whose patriarch was advised to abandon them for lack of sons. Instead, he gave her a name that translates to “God’s blessings are greater.” That defense of the dignity and rights of women became her life’s work, as she founded founded Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) in Abuja, Nigeria.

And Cǎtǎlin and Bianca Albu, who help lead Jesuit Refugee Service-Romania, whose client base has grown fourfold since Russia invaded Ukraine. The couple nonetheless knows their displaced clients by name, by passion, by interest—and strive to provide a safe, homelike atmosphere from which refugees can rebuild as much as possible among fellow refugees.

Certainly, other awards honor entrepreneurial innovators who bring value to the world. But the brilliance of the Opus Prize founders lies in the notion that its recipients be unheralded in their efforts and demonstrably driven and sustained in their work by their own faith traditions. This beautifully echoes the quiet, yet powerful, underpinnings of Catholic Social Teaching, and indeed, of Jesus himself.

Each of these laureates daily exemplifies the true essence of Catholic Social Teaching – the dignity of work afforded to the formerly incarcerated and refugees who have lost everything. The focus on human rights for women even in regions that might at first seem insurmountably hostile. The pure and human accompaniment of those that society might rather ignore or shrug off as someone else’s problem. These have become not passing headaches but life’s work for Opus Prize laureates.

The fact that they are grounded in faith means these laureates have hope in the face of often heart-wrenching realities—they see these problems and say, “Here I am, Lord.”   They have faith in both their God and the notion that their work will take hold in the hearts of others. They endure in faith that they will reach the scale and impact to accompany those who need them, for as long as they are needed.

We find hope, too, hosting the Opus Prize on our Santa Clara campus. We hope the example of these finalists will inspire our students and others in our community to see the impact faith-motivated leaders can have. We hope hosting them raises awareness in our larger surrounding Silicon Valley community about the distinct kinds of social entrepreneurship that are carried out by those who are motivated and driven by their own religious faith.

Matthew E. Carnes, S.J., is vice president for mission and ministry at Santa Clara University