EKUMENA I ETIKA U POSLOVANJU Mate Uzinić

Guest Mate UzinićHosted by Augustin BačićMay 3, 2026

Mate Uzinić

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

In a society often fractured by ideology and historical grievances, the question of how institutions and individuals can foster dialogue and ethical conduct becomes acute. Mate Uzinić, Archbishop Coadjutor of Rijeka, steps into this conversation not with pronouncements from on high, but with a nuanced perspective on the Church's role in a secular world. He addresses the tension between spiritual authority and political power, drawing on critical voices from within his own tradition to argue for a specific, non-dominant stance. This discussion challenges conventional notions of religious influence and offers a framework for understanding how ethical principles can genuinely inform business and public life, rather than merely dictating it. You will walk away with a clearer sense of how moral authority can operate in a pluralistic society, and what true ethical leadership demands beyond rhetoric.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Before all differences, we need to see human persons and their dignity, as Archbishop Uzinić puts it, because that is what we have in common. The ethical imperative for divided societies is to actively reverse the default human tendency to seek differences, starting with shared human dignity as the common ground for any productive dialogue.

Željko Mardešić, a Croatian sociologist, critiqued 'political Catholicism' and the Church's pursuit of 'worldly power,' a view Archbishop Uzinić largely accepts. When a spiritual institution seeks political power or tries to dictate policy, it compromises its core mission and undermines its own legitimacy; its role, as Uzinić states, is to offer, not impose.

Mardešić viewed secularism not as a threat, but as a 'blessing from God' for both society and the Church, a perspective Uzinić endorses. Secularism, far from being an adversary, can be a vital force for good, compelling institutions to define their identity and mission through genuine choice rather than external influence or historical legacy.

Archbishop Uzinić draws a clear distinction: 'The Church is not the guardian of public morality... It should be its corrective.' Public morality emerges from societal negotiation, not institutional decree, and any body claiming moral authority serves best as a corrective voice, not a monopolistic legislator.

Pope Francis describes corruption as 'a worse sin than any other sin because it creates a sinful atmosphere.' This reframes corruption not as a sum of individual wrongdoings, but as a systemic 'structure of evil' that traps everyone involved, creating a pervasive moral climate that transcends personal weakness.

Archbishop Uzinić observes a common problem, even among believers: the 'desire for quick enrichment' leading to bad business decisions. The pursuit of rapid wealth, unchecked by prudence, often overrides long-term sustainability, leading to reckless choices that harm both individuals and their wider networks.

True ethical business, according to Uzinić, requires that 'wages, earnings, and taxes must be just.' This implies a three-way balance: fair compensation for labor, reasonable profit for enterprise, and just contribution to the common good through taxation. Neglecting any one part destabilizes the entire system.

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