None do it more impressively though than Mark Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister, famous for blending his faith with his globalistic approach. Carney is a recent convert to the faith of a practicing Catholic. He often cites his faith as a touchstone in his policy-making, especially in the area of climate finance. His recent appointments of activities of late in Rome have served to shine the light even more on the conflation of his faith and foreign relations.
Carney, who previously served as a central banker and authored the book “Value(s): Building a Better World For All” in 2021, attended a liturgical service with Pope Leo during his latest visit to the Vatican. This meeting is another historic chapter in what has become an extraordinary conversation between Carney and Delaware’s faith leaders. While this was his first meeting with Pope Francis, the late pontiff’s impact is still visible in Carney’s efforts.
The Prime Minister’s office announced that he will meet with world leaders ahead of the G7 leaders’ summit in Alberta. He will likely meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Potentially, he might host Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as well. These negotiations will likely focus on the developing and developed world’s respective roles in major global challenges, particularly climate change and economic responsibility.
Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, believes that faith should shape his beliefs about markets and policy—consistent with Pope Francis’s encyclicals. Reflecting on their conversations, Carney recalled a metaphor shared by the former pontiff: “Your job is to turn the grappa back into wine, to turn the market back into humanity.” Clearly this idea strikes a deep chord with Carney, who implores us to bind economic practices to moral imperatives.
In his eulogistic reflections upon Pope Francis’s legacy, Carney referred to the pontiff’s death as a kairotic moment. He accepted the moral imperatives of leadership in an age of multiple crises. He continues to try and balance his position as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and former UN special climate finance envoy. Carney wants to see these principles of solidarity, justice and sustainability continued moving forward.
Carney’s commitment to these values is not just rhetorical. He practices deep listening and co-governance on a daily basis. “We all need to avoid compartmentalization — the division of our lives into different realms, each with its own set of rules,” he stated, advocating for a holistic approach to leadership.
Leave a Reply