Recently, a national entity grouping businessmen held a seminar on Europe and the social aspect. I think we should heed the recent interesting address given by Pope Benedict XVI to the directors and personnel of the electricity and water board of the city of Rome. He began by thanking them for presenting him with a “beautiful book on the application of the principles of the Encyclical Caritas in Veritate in the business world… as part of the series Imprenditori per il bene commune (“Entrepreneurs for the common good”). The Pontiff expressed his “deep appreciation of this editorial initiative, in the hope” which I think we should all share “that it may be a reference point in the search for solutions to the complex problems of the world of work and of the economy”.

The Pope also lavished praise where it is due and said: “I have also seen with great interest your “charter of values” and “ethical code” that recalls the principles of responsibility, transparency, correctness and the spirit of service and collaboration…” Benedict XVI couldn’t not recall the present “period full of difficulties, marked by a serious international crisis that has led the world to rethink a model of development based primarily on finance and profit, in order to refocus human activity on our capacity to produce, to innovate, to think and to build the future.”

The Pontiff further said: “As I emphasised in the Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, it is important to increase awareness in the business world of the need for a broader ‘social responsibility’ that will impel it to continue to give proper consideration to the expectations and needs of their workers, customers, suppliers and the entire community and to pay special attention to the environment (cf. n. 30). Thus, the production of goods and services will not be exclusively bound to the search for financial gain but also to the promotion of the common good.”

Towards the end of his address for the centenary celebration of the water and electricity board of Rome Benedict added: “However, it is equally important to promote a human ecology which can make both the workplace and personal relations worthy of the human being. In this regard I would like to reaffirm… (that) “the adoption of a model of development based on the centrality of the human person, on the promotion and sharing of the common good, on responsibility, on a realisation of our need for a changed lifestyle” (Message World Day of Peace 2010, n. 9).

May such inspiring words point us to the way forward given our local circumstances.

Joseph G. Bonett

Ghajnsielem