Legatus aims to help business leaders and their spouses apply gospel values in a corporate context, writes Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent.

About 75 people attended the launch of a new organisation aimed at Catholic company chief executives and their spouses in Dublin's Berkley Court hotel on Tuesday night.

Among those attending the launch were Mr Michael Duffy of An Bord Bia, Mr Paddy Walsh a senior partner with the Oliver Freaney accountancy firm, Mr Stan Cosgrove of Moyglare Stud, property developer Mr Seán Davin, and Ms Marion Mulhall of Quantum Advertising.

"Legatus", the Latin word for ambassador, was founded in the US in 1987 by Mr Tom Monaghan, former owner of Domino's Pizza and the Detroit Tigers.

His aim was to set up an organisation which could help business leaders and their spouses become better Catholics and positively impact their business, professional and personal lives.

Membership is open to Catholic chairmen, chief executive officers, presidents, managing directors, controlling owners, publishers or partners, and their spouses.

It is organised on the basis of chapters, of which there are 40 currently, mostly in the US. Each chapter must have at least 25 members.

They do not get involved in fund-raising, or projects of any sort, but usually meet once a month for Mass, prayers, and to hear relevant speakers. They also organise pilgrimages.

Ms Marion Mulhall, an international representative for Legatus, said that the organisation was invited to set up in Ireland as there was no other for chief executives here and which was lay driven.

It was also different from the Knights of Columbanus in that spouses were involved, Ms Mulhall said.

Legatus was focused on chief executives as these were "the employers of the world" and it was desirable to have good people at the helm of such companies, people who would apply gospel values in a corporate context.

The Coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin Most Rev Diarmuid Martin, who attended the launch as a guest, said in an address that "the human person is the most important asset of a modern economy.

"Investment in human capacity is no longer simple philanthropy, but brings a vital contribution to improving our economy."

He hoped Legatus "could pioneer new forms of formation to help people move up the 'quality ladder' within a modern knowledge economy, so that all can realise their human potential and place it at the disposal of the economy and society."