"The country must return to growth, because this is the fundamental condition for social justice, which will improve the conditions of our South, of young people without warranties, single-income families. [...]. Everyone is called into question in this labor of love to Italy: it is a serious responsibility that falls on all."

From this exhortation of Cardinal Bagnasco, the Scientific Committee and organizer of the 46th Social Week of Italian Catholics, held in Reggio Calabria from 14 to 17 October 2010, was the starting point to engage in this labor of love to Italy looking to decline an agenda of hope for the country’s future. The research of themes and issues to be included on the agenda was achieved by collective discernment of a great movement, to which were invited all persons of good will.

The number of participants in the trial has exceeded all expectations, it’s a clear sign that many Italians have at heart the common good. Since the beginning of discerning certain aspects have proved crucial in order to continue to grow: to educate, to include the new admissions, to untie social mobility, complete the institutional transition, engaging in work and enterprise. On the latter point of view we will dwell on our reflection, although all have been the occasion of much debate and finding solutions proposals.

Going beyond the due

Deliberately the work and the company were put together, because today to work is less and less to find a job, and increasingly to invent, create new forms of work: work is therefore a business. The work is a consequence of development: a country that develops creates jobs. The work is also part of the development process: working with innovation, quality and creativity are causes for a development that puts people at the center.

In these terms, it was discussed during the thematic meetings of the Week of Reggio Calabria.

It was brougth a special experience into evidence: the Policoro Project, which aims to promote the employee-entrepreneur. The Project Policoro, born of intuition and a willingness to don Mario Operti, to create solidarity between the North and South of the country, wants to be an opportunity for new generations to rediscover the work with a personal commitment from employers. An entrepreneur who becomes involved in the cooperative experience with the responses and needs of the area that is so valued by many as desired (Carlo Costalli).
The work seen as a God’s work, as a vocation, as a commitment for the common good. These are the dimensions that emerged during the Social Week. It is also important to remember that the size of the opening gift, free giving, is a typical characteristic of the human. We could say that we are really only when we open ourselves to this dimension and had to go beyond the required. This is an important feature of the work understood in the Christian sense, as Primo Levi reminds us in an interview: "At Auschwitz, I have often noticed a curious phenomenon: the need for the "fine work" is so strong to be pushed to do well also forced labor, slavery. The Italian construction worker who saved my life, carrying food in secret for six months, he hated the Nazis, their food, their language, their war, but when they put him to pull up walls, he made them straight and solid, not for obedience, but for dignity"

To pull up a "straight wall"  for dignity is also a gratitude’s expression, since it says that there is in others, in themselves, in nature, in things, even in the "walls", a truth and a "vocation" which must be respected and served and never subservient to our interests. A well understood job is certainly growth factor, for the individual and for society.

Educating to employment

At this point we might ask how this discourse challenges the religious men and women. First of all I think is important, now more than ever, educational work in all its dimensions. Do not forget that many industrial districts, the pride of Italian economic development, were born around the Benedictine monasteries, where monks were taught to work and impart knowledge, even in the field of administration. Maybe now we can not 'find' work for unemployed young people and experiencing the many forms of insecurity (the only form of work experienced by 88% of young Italians). Of course we can be reliable workers, who care not only their own development, but development of all in the interests of the common good.
A second note that the labor subject asks, in particular to us religious, is the theme of women's work. It is my opinion that the woman’s contribution to the economy, to a new economy’s construction, is still to be discovered.

First, it should be noted that in a certain sense, the economy is a woman: not only because it is always represented in classical performances with women’s images but mainly because the oikos nomos (hence the word economy) is the Government House, and those in traditional societies dealt with management of the house were women. With modernization and the emergence of political economy, the economy is separated from home and becoming all-male affair. If today's economy does get back to being in relationship with the oikos (chiefly intended as environment, such as sustainable development) must meet again with the woman and the feminine.

The women’s contribution to the economy

What 'more'  the woman can make  to the economy?

- The relationship as value: the woman has always been recognized as characteristic of living human relationships not just instrumentally, but as an end in itself. And today, in a time when the relational goods demand  (which for some years are recognized as economic goods) is growing, the supply of such goods, in the family, workplace, the market, is also closely linked to wife, and her genius.

- Creativity and intuition: another dimension exquisitely feminine is creativity and intuition, crushed and strongly underestimated dimension in a economy world in which people values the deductive and rationality logic (particularly instrumental). It has established itself, especially since the Illustration time, as a form of true knowledge or science." The great Christian and humanist tradition, by contrast, had recognized a equal if not superior value, to the intuition (which so perfect was attributed to the angels).

- Gratuity: the culture of modernity has tried to relegate the gratuity in the private sphere, expelling much of the public sphere. In particular it is expelled from the economic sphere: it is enough to contracts, incentives, rules and best interests. In Caritas in Veritate  is emphasized that charity / gratuity "has been and continues to be" a meaningless diversion and "the risk of being misinterpreted, detached [...] to prevent the proper evaluation '(CV 2). At this error (because it is an error as it appears today also by economic theory) is linked to the political and economic choice don’t to consider the domestic part of the economy and the property transformation that occur within the home;

- The flexibility is manifested through creative management of difficulties.

Recent research demonstrated that the women report characteristics and other are a resource for the market. According to a report of studies of the Société Générale on listed companies, there is a positive correlation between the presence of women on boards of directors and financial performance.

For organizational excellence

A study conducted by Leeds University Business School (UK) showed that the presence of at least one woman with decision-making on the Board of the 20% reduces the likelihood that the company is wound up.

Not only that: a 2007 study revealed that European companies - American and Asian, with 30% or more in the management team - achieving on average, than those without representation of women, the highest scores in the parameter "organizational excellence".
The research in this field are becoming abundant. They suggest not only that the key to development lies in a greater number of women in strategic places of business, but also that it is time to learn to accept the specific woman, complementary and in reciprocity with all the potential male.

How religious are also called upon to identify new ways because the work does not conflict with the family: "To raise a child it takes a whole village," says an African proverb. If, as a society, we learn to be accountable for the growth of our children, even with appropriate politics, then the woman will not be forced to choose between work and family. This is also grow in the job.