«Leadership and spirit of service. Building the future between profit and values”: this was the theme of the meeting promoted on 16 April by the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria Catanzaro with the participation of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace. An evening, at the Confindustria headquarters, to present for the first time in the capital city the book “Opus Dei. A history”, written by professors José Luis González Gullón, present at the meeting, and John F. Coverdale, in view of the centenary of the foundation which took place on 2 October 1928 by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
The role of the Church and commitment to the common good
Opening and closing the proceedings, moderated by the professional journalist Pasqualino Pandullo, was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Catanzaro-Squillace, Mons. Claudio Maniago, who addressed words of great encouragement to the business world, showing attention to the issues that profoundly mark our century. The prelate, in giving his appreciation to the book dedicated to the history of Opus Dei, also in light of the thought of the founder San Escrivá, reiterated how Christians are called to be able to account for the hope of the Risen One, with the commitment of leadership understood as service to the community, in collaboration with the institutions and the productive world. The mission and action of the Church, in the light of the teaching of the Gospel, will always be that of proposing ethical teachings that preside over every correct solution to human and social problems, especially in the search for peace and the common good.
The potential of the Calabrian entrepreneurial system
Also offering greetings was the President of Unindustria Calabria Giovani, Vincenzo Squillacioti, who highlighted how despite the difficulties, the conditions and potential exist in the regional territory to promote the valorisation of the entrepreneurial system, looking with confidence to the future protagonists of tomorrow. Following the speeches of the speaker Dr. Rita Doria and the President of Young Entrepreneurs Confindustria Catanzaro Dr. Luca Noto.
Testimonies: work as dignity and sanctification
Dr. Doria, involved in the administration of her family business, passed on her work and spiritual experience, recalling in particular the World Youth Day in Madrid, where she became increasingly familiar with current events and the message of Saint Josemaría Escrivá who considered work “a testimony to the dignity of man”. A thought that has always accompanied his daily commitment, remembering how Jesus spent most of his life in Nazareth working as a craftsman with Saint Joseph.
The entrepreneur Luca Noto, during his cultural education in Italy and abroad, personally learned and explored the thought of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, updating it and putting it into practice in his family business which has more than two thousand workers. For the President of the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria Catanzaro, business is a responsibility, a vocation that recalls the need to “sanctify work”, so preached by the Spanish Saint, because well-performed work is not just a profit, but is an ethical responsibility, which produces co-responsibility, quality and well-being, giving dignity to the worker in compliance with the rules.
The comparison with the author José Luis González Gullón
The speakers, after sharing their human, spiritual and working experience, asked questions to the author of the book Don José Luis González Gullón, offering those present an opportunity to discuss the relationship between profit and values, between entrepreneurial vision and spirit of service, putting the person at the centre, just as Saint Josemaría Escrivá wanted. Among the speeches in the room was also that of the engineer Raffaele Mastroianni, who highlighted how the message of Saint Josemaría Escrivá is very relevant in Christian and professional life.
Don José Luis González Gullón, professor of History at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and member of the San Josemaría Escrivá Historical Institute, responded to the questions of the speakers and those present, giving a key to understanding the research work of over 700 pages, published by Ares, with the preface Agostino Giovagnoli. A work that re-proposes unpublished documentation from the archives of the prelature and oral testimonies using a historical-scientific method.
The charism of Opus Dei: uniting faith and daily life
Among the joys and difficulties of Opus Dei’s journey, the author recalled how work for Saint Josemaría meant facing daily fatigue by uniting it with Christ, because, according to the founder, «every work is a testimony to the dignity of man. It promotes the development of his personality, it is a vehicle for union with other men, a source of resources to support one’s family, a means of contributing to the improvement of society.” «The charism of Opus Dei – said Don González Gullòn – is to be united with Jesus where we live and work. If the laity in the Catholic Church are 99.92%, this is also the true strength for an announcement capable of passing from person to person, from parents to children, from young people to schoolmates”.
Many people present in the room showed interest and enthusiasm in hearing the words of the young entrepreneurs, eager to make their contribution to the growth of this southern land and beyond.