"This time is not an easy time, for you and for everyone. Even the business world is suffering a lot. The pandemic has put a lot of production to the test, the whole economic system has been hurt. And now the war in Ukraine with the resulting energy crisis ".
Pope Francis said this when he received in audience in the Paul VI Hall the participants in the public assembly of Confindustria, led by President Carlo Bonomi.
"The good entrepreneur also suffers in these crises - underlined the Pontiff -, who has responsibility for his company, for his jobs, and who feels uncertainties and risks about himself".
According to Francis, "in the market there are 'mercenary' entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs similar to the good shepherd (cf. Jn 10: 11-18),
who suffer the same suffering as their workers, who do not flee in front of the many wolves that circle around "." People know how to recognize good entrepreneurs - he added -.
We also saw it recently, on the death of Alberto Balocco: the whole corporate and civil community was saddened and expressed their respect and gratitude ".
"Creating work then generates a certain equality in your companies and in society. It is true that there is a hierarchy in companies, it is true that there are different functions and wages, but wages must not be too different. Today the share of value that goes to work is too small, especially if we compare it with that which goes to financial income and the salaries of top managers. If the gap between the highest and lowest salaries becomes too large, the business community falls ill, and soon the society".
Thus the Pope at the Confindustria Assembly.
"On this aspect of the birth rate - said Pope Francis speaking 'off the cuff' -, sometimes a woman who is employed here or works there is afraid of getting pregnant. Because there is a reality, I am not saying between you, but there is it's a reality: as soon as they start to see the belly they kick it out. "No, no, you can't get pregnant." Please, this is a problem of working women. Study it, see how to make a pregnant woman go on, both with the child who is waiting and with the work ".
We are in "a country that is lost, divided, unfair with too many of its children and with its gaze pressed on the needs of the present", we need "high words, values and a vision that knows how to look, together, far and in depth "". The president of Confindustria, Carlo Bonomi, thus addressed the Holy Father at the entrance of Pope Francis into the Nervi Hall. families, before the Pope entered the audience hall.