VIRTUOUS INVESTING
Do you believe in virtuous investing? I don't. The intention of investing is to make money; the intention of capitalism is not to do good.
For those who embrace vice, like me, there's the Vice Fund. For those who prefer something more pure, there's Ave Maria Mutual Funds.
Four practices that will get a company banned from the Ave Maria funds: Supporting abortion; supporting embryonic stem cell research (because it "is closely linked to abortion"); contributing to Planned Parenthood; and involvement with pornography.
While the philosophy no doubt will rankle progressive sensibilities, it's hard to argue with the results.
Ave Maria's flagship Rising Dividend fund carries Morningstar's top five-star designation and is up 26.8 percent in 2013. That puts it in front of the S&P 500, which has gained 25.3 percent on a total-return basis. The fund has $642.2 million under management as part of Ave Maria's $1.4 billion total handle.
[CNBC]