FAITH BASED MICROFINANCE

In almost every regular mutual fund, a client with religious beliefs is going to get a share of companies that are involved in activities in which they would rather not be involved. It's difficult to consider religious funds as a specific investment group because they vary in what they look for and what they screen out... Managers of faith-based funds typically are not theologians. They often rely on advisory boards or paid services to establish how to screen investments. Managers then pick stocks within those limitations, so there is minimal impact on the overall stock choices available to them. Some faith-based funds are top performers in their respective investment categories, proving that limitations do not have to lessen results... Investors wishing to put their money to work in a manner consistent with Catholic values often seek to avoid investing in firms that support abortion, contraceptives, embryonic stem cell research, tobacco, alcohol, pornography, gambling and the..