Faith at Work: Joshua McCaig

The vast majority of the more than 1.5 million people employed in the Kansas City and St. Joseph metropolitan areas work in secular industries. How is faith expressed by devoted Catholics working in our area banks, law firms, doctors’ offices, restaurants, farms or auto plants? This is “faith at work.”

Joshua McCaig

Attorney at Law, Polsinelli PC

Joshua McCaig is an experienced commercial litigator with specialization in health care and intellectual property law, as well as consulting for faith-based organizations. He is founding president and international goodwill ambassador for the Catholic Bar Association.

Tell us a little bit about your faith journey.

I was born in the 1970s and my parents were only 17 years old when they found out they were pregnant with me. Only a brief time after Roe v. Wade was decided, they could have made a different decision, but they chose to give me life, and I am eternally grateful to them for their decision. Although my parents were young, they brought me up in the Catholic faith, and I am so thankful for their sacrifices and their witness to me of not just the importance of the faith but also of how to overcome so much and what it takes to have a strong marriage.

Is your Catholic faith part of your professional identity, either publicly or privately?

It is a difficult question about how to bring your faith into your professional work. The current culture is one that attempts to separate work from faith, go to work but leave your faith at home. I don’t think the question should be how do I incorporate my faith into my work, but it could be stated as how do I incorporate my work into my faith. Your faith is part of who you are, you are a child of God, called to live the teaching of Jesus Christ in everything you do, including your work. With this approach, your work becomes an extension of your faith, and can be seen in the culture that you try to create within your work environment, how you interact with others and how you treat others.

What are some practical ways that you incorporate prayer into your work day?

I take personal prayer time each day. Depending on my schedule, it may be in the morning or during the day, and this involves readings from the Bible and then some time for reflection. I try to attend Mass when possible during the work week and going during the lunch hour typically works well with my schedule. My wife and I spend time in the evening praying together, which has been a blessing for our marriage.

Do you have a favorite saint or religious figure who you turn to in facing challenges at work?

As an attorney, I look to Saint Thomas More as an example of a holy man who sacrificed his life for the truth and his example is one that I frequently reflect on. Thomas More, even when the consequences of his actions were going to result in his death, stood by his convictions and principles that were grounded in his faith, and he accepted his death with honor, knowing that he was going to a better place with a clear conscience. (Read about Saint Thomas More on p. 26)

Josh and his wife are parishioners at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Gladstone.