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Singapore (Agenzia Fides) - An hour of sincere dialogue, made up of questions and answers, exchanges of jokes and smiles, concluded the long Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis in Asia and Oceania by embracing the young Singaporeans engaged daily in interreligious dialogue. As in the past, the prepared speech is put aside by the Pontiff, who addresses the young people in a completely spontaneous way after listening to the testimonies of each of them. Here are the key passages:
Three things that you said struck me: “armchair critics,” “comfort zone,” and “technology” – the duty to use it but also the risks involved. Young people are courageous and like to seek the truth, to walk, to be creative. But young people must be careful not to fall into criticism that is just blah-blah.
A young person must be a critical thinker, and it is not good never to be critical. But you must be constructive in criticism, because there is a destructive criticism, which only makes a lot of complaints but does not offer a new way forward.
Young people must have the courage to build, to move forward and go out of their “comfort zones”. A young person who chooses always to spend his or her time in “comfort” is a young person who becomes fat! Not fatter in body, but fatter in mind! That is why I say to young people, “Take risks, go out!”
Do not be afraid!”. Fear is a dictatorial attitude that paralyzes you. It is true that young people often make mistakes, many mistakes, and it would be good if each one of us – if each of you – could think about how many times you have made mistakes.
Let us see who can answer my question: What is worse, making a mistake because I started to walk or not making a mistake because I stayed at home? Everyone, the latter! A young person who does not take risks, who is afraid of making mistakes, is already old! Do you understand this?
You have also talked about the media. Today there are so many options, so many possibilities for using the media, cell phone, or television. I would like to ask you: is it good to use media or is it not good?
What is a young person who does not use media like? He or she is closed. What about young people who live totally enslaved to the media, what are they like? They are lost.
All young people should use the media, but in a manner that can help us move forward, not in a way that can enslave us. Understood? Do you agree or disagree?
One of the things that has impressed me most about the young people here is your capacity for interfaith dialogue. This is very important because if you start arguing, “My religion is more important than yours...,” or “Mine is the true one, yours is not true....,” where does this lead? Destruction.
Religions are seen as paths trying to reach God. There is only one God, and religions are like languages that try to express ways to approach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian.
One thing that helps a lot with dialogue is respect. I will tell you one thing. I don’t know if it happens here, in this city, but in other cities it happens that among young people something bad occurs: bullying. Whether it is verbal or physical bullying, it is always an aggression. Always. Just think about what happens in schools or children’s groups: bullying targets those who are weaker. Each one of us has our own abilities and limitations , even the Pope. As we have our limitations, we must respect the disabilities of others.
Why do I say this? Because overcoming these things helps in your interfaith dialogue since it is built upon respect for others. And if you dialogue as young people, you will also dialogue as adults; you will dialogue as citizens, and as politicians.
I would like to tell you something about history: with every dictatorship in history, the first thing it does is to cut off dialogue.
My wish is that all of you young people will go forward with hope, and not go backwards! Take risks! Otherwise, you will grow “fatter”! And when you are no longer young, but you are elderly and grandparents, teach all these things to your children. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 13/9/2024)
