Vatican City, Feb 28, 2015 / 14:00 pm
In an audience with the Confederazione Cooperative Italiane (confederation of Italian co-operatives) Pope Francis called for the "globalization of solidarity" which places the dignity of persons and families at the center of social justice.
"To globalize solidarity," the Pope said during the Feb. 28 gathering, "means thinking about spiraling unemployment, the constant tears of the poor," and "the need for real, integral progress for the person," not just in terms of income.
First founded in 1919, the Confederazione Cooperative Italiane is a "business incubator" which helps new and start-up companies get off the ground by providing services and resources. Suppressed under Italy's Fascist Regime, it was re-established in 1945.
Speaking to the 7,000 people gathered in the Vatican's Paul VI during the audience, comprised of men and women representing various sectors of the work force, Pope Francis offered a few points of encouragement.