Pope Francis encourages cooperatives to build
solidarity
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis
on Wednesday evening sent a video message to the 39th National Assembly of the
Confederation of Italian Cooperatives.
In his remarks, the Holy
Father recalled the advice he first gave them during a
meeting on February 28, 2015, in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
Pope Francis summarized those
earlier remarks:
“Continue to be the motor
that lifts and develops the weakest part of your local community and of civil
society, especially by establishing companies to provide jobs; be leaders in
creating new welfare solutions, as you are already doing; Manage the
cooperatives truly cooperatively - that is, involving all; Endeavour to
support, facilitate and encourage family life. With the Apostolic Exhortation
Amoris Laetitia I indicated a prospective of joy and responsibility, but the
people and the families should not be left alone, and must harmonized work and
family; Bring good means together with determination in order to accomplish
good works. It takes creativity and generosity to capitalize your cooperatives
and invest well; Counter the false cooperatives, because cooperatives must
promote an economy of honesty; Participate actively in globalization in order
to integrate – in the world – development, justice and peace.”
The Holy Father then told the
participants that since that time “the drama, and often the tragedy, of
migrants, terrorism without borders, and the global economic slowdown have made
these words even more true.”
He told them it is their
“origins which give you strength,” including their collaboration with the local
church, and the ability to reach out to people in need.
“Beginning a business out of
need is your talent,” Pope Francis said. “Maintain this richness, while you
build a common perspective with other associations to make evident the value
for every person of the true cooperative.”
He encouraged them to be
“guided by the commitment to the common good” when deciding what programmes to
pursue in the future.
“If the cooperative functions
to build solidarity also among its members, it reinforces communal
responsibility, the ability to recognize what the generosity of others can
accomplish, as well as to accept the limits,” Pope Francis said.
The Holy Father said
cooperatives build “fraternity,” and can be a “witness of how faith animates a
concrete commitment” to humanity.
Pope Francis concluded by
reminding the participants of the Holy Year of Mercy, and expressing his hope
that the commitments taken up by the cooperatives become “an expression of
mercy.”
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