I cordially greet the participants in the 31st Argentine Industrial Conference, held in Buenos Aires on 13 November 2025. I thank the organizers of this meeting for their kind invitation to address you all. This space offers us, in the context of the Jubilee of Hope, a valuable opportunity to recognize that the economy and business, when oriented towards the common good, can and must be engines of the future, of inclusion and of justice.

In continuity with other teachings in the Magisterium, in 1891, Rerum Novarum constituted the founding act of the Social Doctrine of the Church in its current form. It denounced the unjust conditions of many workers and strongly affirmed that “it is neither just nor human so to grind men down with excessive labour as to stupefy their minds and wear out their bodies” (no. 42). Similarly, it emphasized the right to a fair wage, to form associations and to live with dignity. These teachings, born at a time of profound industrial change, remain surprisingly relevant in the globalized world we live in, where the dignity of workers is often still violated.

The Church reminds us that the economy is not an end in itself, but an essential yet partial aspect of the social fabric, in which God's plan of love for every human being unfolds. The common good requires that production and profit not be pursued in isolation, but rather be oriented towards the integral promotion of every man and woman. For this reason, my predecessor Leo XIII recalled that if workers receive a fair wage, this allows them not only to support their families, but also to aspire to small property and to love more the land worked by their own hands, from which they expect sustenance and dignity, and thus to open themselves to higher aspirations for their lives and those of their families (cf. no. 46).

In the same way, he also warned that those who enjoy material abundance must carefully avoid harming in any way the livelihood of the less fortunate, which—although modest—must be considered sacred, precisely because it constitutes the indispensable support of their existence (cf. no. 20). These words resonate as a constant challenge, because they invite us not to measure the success of a business solely in economic terms, but also in its capacity to generate human development, social cohesion and care for creation.

In Argentina, this vision finds a shining example in the venerable servant of God Enrique Shaw, an entrepreneur who understood that industry was not just a productive mechanism or a means of accumulating capital, but a true community of people called to grow together. His leadership was distinguished by transparency, the ability to listen, and a commitment to ensuring that every worker could feel part of a shared project. In him, faith and business management came together harmoniously, demonstrating that the Social Doctrine is not an abstract theory or an unattainable utopia, but a possible path that transforms the lives of people and institutions by placing Christ at the centre of all human activity.

Enrique promoted fair wages, encouraged training programmes, cared for the health of his workers and accompanied their families in their most concrete needs. He did not conceive of profitability as an absolute, but as an important aspect of sustaining a humane, just and supportive company. His writings and decisions clearly show the inspiration of Rerum Novarum, which asked businessmen “not to look upon their work people as their bondsmen, but to respect in every man his dignity as a person ennobled by Christian character” (no. 20).

But the Servant of God's consistency was not limited to the exercise of his profession. He also experienced the misunderstanding and persecution prophesied by Christ for those who work for justice (cf. Mt 5:10). He was imprisoned during times of political tension and accepted that experience with peace and serenity. Later, he confronted illness, but he never stopped working or encouraging his family. He offered his suffering to God as an act of love and, even in the midst of pain, he remained close to his workers.

His suffering for the love of justice and for fidelity to the principles of service, progress and human advancement that he proposed as the duties of business leaders in his work “...y dominad la tierra” make Enrique Shaw a contemporary model for all those who constitute the world of work. His life shows that it is possible to be both a businessman and a saint, that economic efficiency and fidelity to the Gospel are not mutually exclusive, and that charity can penetrate even industrial and financial structures.

Dear friends: holiness must flourish precisely where decisions are made that affect the lives of thousands of families. The world urgently needs businesspeople and leaders who, out of love for God and neighbour, work for an economy that serves the common good. May this Industrial Conference be a space for renewing our commitment to an innovative, competitive and, above all, humane industry, capable of sustaining the development of our peoples without leaving anyone behind. I entrust you to the intercession of Saint Joseph the Worker and from my heart I impart my Apostolic Blessing.

Vatican, 8 September 2025, Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
 

LEO PP. XIV

_________________________________________

Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 13 November 2025