The Industrial Estate Lionello Bonfanti

Focolare Movement: Economy of Communion - Official opening ceremony of the estate, which is near the small town of Loppiano

ITALY, www.focolare.org. The Industrial Estate Lionello Bonfanti: " It has a role; it is an example to be followed so that society will not become stale" - " It is a model that may be contagious and attract other businesses". These words were said by Romano Prodi, the President of the Italian Parliament and by Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, on Saturday 28th October during the official opening ceremony of the estate, which is near the small town of Loppiano.

The Archbishop of Florence, Card Antonelli gave  a speech during the opening ceremony of the first European Industrial Estate, that houses the businesses of the Economy of Communion and is situated  near  Loppiano, the small international town of the Focolari, that stands on the Tuscan hills near Florence.  He quoted the pope and said, "Benedict XVI has said several times that history is guided by creative minorities".  He highlighted the roots of this: the love of the Gospel, a love that "does not only involve individuals, charity and voluntary work, but one that involves the culture, the structures and the dynamics of society.  This is what is needed to change the world" as  Vatican Council II affirms.  He continued saying, " I think that tonight we are understanding better what all this means".    And he defined the idea of the Economy of Communion as certianly "not being utopian" but "it needs  great spiritual energy and a lot of motivation. Yet it is so fascinating that it may be contagious and attract many other businesses".

President Prodi:  "The estate that is being inaugurated is a model for society".

"In every society we need models that help us to keep on developping". This is what the President of the Italian Parliament said in his surprise visit to the opening ceremony.. He said he was grateful  for such a realisation , for the commitment taken to achieve "transparency in balance sheets, respect for  laws and  for freely sharing profits to create a net of solidarity".  And he confirmed that, "Every society needs to have models to imitate,  for otherwise it will become stale; everything becomes  standard repitition.  Here we have an example. Here we have something which is even more and not everyone is called for it, but it is a sign of progress."

The Estate is a visible sign of a road that can be followed in the business world to bridge the gap between rich and poor. As soon as one arrives at the Industrial Estate, one is struck by the original way it is built.   It stands on 9600 square metres of land but it does not look like an industrial shed. There are 5621 shareholders; and pensioners, housewives and  students are also involved. Being shareholders in the Economy of Communion Company,  they feel  protagonists of a project that embraces the  world.

From the experiences shared by the businessmen here, one could see that it has not been easy to transfer their businesses or to set up new subsidiary branches.  But as they themselves said, they were fascinated by  the idea of coming over here to be a community of businessmen that renders  visible its share towards  business ethics  and towards the dream of  bridging the gap between rich and poor. 

Prof. Zamagni: "To make the business flourish, man has to be placed at the centre of everything". 

Cecilia Manzo, president of the E of C Company, that runs and promotes the Estate said that "the aim of these businesses  is make the employees participate in the running of the business".   And this aspect was highlighted by Prof. Zamagni, lecturer of Political Economy at the Bologna University.   He said, "Today, in this post-industrial era, the strategic factor is no more the machine or the capital,  but it is the human person.  If we want our businesses to flourish, we have to place man at the centre of everything.  It is more important to act on the motivations of those who work than on giving them incentives."   And this is what happens in the businesses of the Economy of Communion: the employees know why the business has been set up and  give their share towards its aim. "A  brilliant idea, that has played its part in advance".

Chiara Lubich –  The motto given: "God always works"

In the message sent by the foundress of the Focolare Movement, who  launched the Economy of Communion 15 years ago,  she expressed her hope  that the Industrial Estate will be "an answer to today’s economical problems."  And she gave a motto to the Industrial Estate: "God always works".  The ceramic plate on which this motto is written and made by the sculptor Benedetto Pietrogrande, was uncovered during the opening ceremony.  "And this is to remind us of the value that God gives to work, of the creative ability of man".  She also spoke of another aspect of this project:  it is actually part of the small towns of the Movement that are called to be "a model of a new society founded on the Gospel".