Pope Francis on May 3, 2019, received in audience the Members of the “Guido Carli” Foundation and of the Jury of the Homonymous Award, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Foundation’s institution.
Here is a translation of the words of greeting that the Pope addressed to those present at the audience.
* * *
The Holy Father’s Greeting
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I’m happy to receive you as representatives of the “Guido Carli” Foundation and of the Jury of the Homonymous Award, on the decennial of its institution. I greet you all warmly and I thank Dr. Romana Liuzzo for her words.
Through your initiatives, you give continuity to the work of Guido Carli, economist and statesman, whose figure is marked by a strong sense of duty and perseverant commitment for the good of the community. A native of the land of Brescia, he took the first steps in the field of institutional responsibilities, thanks to a priest friend of Montini, the family of Saint Pope Paul VI, to whom the Carlis were connected by an old friendship.
We are all aware of the fact that, among the contradictions of today’s society, there is also this: on one hand, we witness the prevalence of solely economic criteria and of activity geared to consumption and, on the other, manifested increasingly is the inability to conciliate the just distribution of income with the enhancement of development prospects. It’s important to reiterate that the economy renders a service to the common good if it remains connected to ethics, which is the universal measure of the genuine human good.
Therefore, the social commitment of your Foundation is significant, which intends to promote solidarity: this is a human value that, in the Christian perspective, realizes the duty of evangelical charity. I rejoice over your gratitude to men and women who distinguished themselves worldwide for their civil and ethical commitment. Not a few in Italy are exponents of culture, of science, of the world of work, of voluntary service and also of the Church that, through their activity, represent positive examples and models to imitate.
I take this occasion to express to you my appreciation and encouragement to persevere in your action, especially in favor of the weakest groups of society, as stimulation to the growth of all its components. May the Lord sustain and bless your good intentions.
© Libreria Editrice Vatican
[Original text: Italian] [ZENIT’s translation by Virginia M. Forrester]
