VATICAN CITY | The Pope Video for August has just been released with the prayer intention that Francis is entrusting to the entire Catholic Church through the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. This month, the Holy Father prays “for small and medium-sized businesses; in the midst of economic and social crisis, may they find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities.” 

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“As a consequence of the pandemic and the wars, the world is facing a grave socio-economic crisis,” says the pope, who points out that small and medium-sized businesses are among those most affected. According to statistics for 2021 from the World Bank, one in four companies lost half of their volume of sales because of the global pandemic. In addition, public assistance is weakest precisely where it is most needed: in poor countries and for small businesses. 

In this context, Pope Francis praises those who “with courage, with effort, with sacrifice, (...) invest in life, creating wellbeing, opportunities, and work.” Among small and medium-sized businesses are those than run a store, a restaurant, or a workshop. It also includes those dedicated to cleaning or transportation, and to craftsmen, among others. They “don’t appear on the lists of the richest and most powerful, and despite the difficulties, they create jobs, fulfilling their social responsibility.”