'The Logic of Gift'

Charity is at the heart of the Church's social doctrine, at the heart of our personal relationship with God and with neighbour, guiding not only our micro-relationships with friends and family but also our macro-relationships in the social, economic and political sphere. So says Pope Benedict in his encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’, before going on to analyse the global economic crisis and suggest solutions in light of this basic moral and ethical principle.

But are big businesses or struggling companies really going to heed a message which speaks of charity, of giving and sharing, of spiritual rather than practical, profit driven solutions to their economic problems?

Since the Pope’s third encyclical was published in the summer of 2009, the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council has organised a series of meetings aimed at exploring the principles and practical implications of its message on the different continents.

Here in the Vatican from Thursday to Saturday the council is holding a seminar entitled ‘The Logic of Gift’ bringing together professors and business practitioners to see how the Pope’s ideas can be applied – even in times of continuing economic hardship.

Msgr Anthony Frontiero is an official at the Justice and Peace Council – Philippa Hitchen talked with him about the goals and the scope of this three day encounter…

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