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Singapore (Agenzia Fides) - Pope Francis has arrived in Singapore, the fourth and final stop of his long Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania. In the morning, the welcoming ceremony took place in the city-state's Parliament House. After the Guard of Honour, the performance of the anthems and the Honour to the Flags, the presentation of the Delegations and the Orchid Naming Ceremony were held. During the ceremony, a white orchid named after Pope Francis, specially cultivated for this visit, was presented. The Pope then signed the Book of Honour. "Like the star that showed the way to the Magi, may the light of wisdom always guide Singapore in building a united society capable of conveying hope," said the Pope, who, after the meeting and the official photo with the President of the Republic and later with the Prime Minister, went to the National University of Singapore to meet with representatives of the government, civil society and the Diplomatic Corps.
Here are the key passages from his speech:
Singapore’s story is one of growth and resilience
It is important that Singapore has not only prospered economically, but has also striven to build a society in which social justice and the common good are held in high regard.
Here, I recognize and commend the various policies and initiatives put in place to support the most vulnerable, and I hope that special attention will be paid to the poor and the elderly – whose labours have laid the foundations for the Singapore we see today – as well as to protecting the dignity of migrant workers. These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage.
The sophisticated technologies of the digital age and rapid developments in the use of artificial intelligence must not lead us to forget about the essential need to cultivate real and concrete human relationships. These technologies should be used to bring us closer together by promoting understanding and solidarity, and never to isolate ourselves in a dangerously false and intangible reality.
Singapore is a mosaic of ethnicities, cultures and religions living together in harmony. Mutual respect, cooperation, dialogue and the freedom to exercise one’s beliefs within the confines of the law are the conditions that allow for Singapore’s success and stability.
The Church has also constantly promoted interreligious dialogue and cooperation between different faith communities, in a spirit of openness and mutual respect, which are fundamental for building a just and peaceful society.
Singapore also has a specific role to play on the international level — let us not forget this — which is threatened today by conflict and wars that have spilled much blood, and I welcome your noteworthy promotion of multilateralism and a rules-based order shared by all. I encourage you to continue to work in favour of the unity and fraternity of humanity and the common good of all peoples and all nations, in a way that does not exclude others or is restricted to your national interests.
I would also like to recall the role of the family, which is where we learn to be loved and to love, the first place where everyone learns to relate to others. Yet we see that the foundations on which families are built are being challenged by current social conditions, and run the risk of being weakened. Families must be allowed to transmit the values that give meaning and shape to life and to teach young people how to form solid and healthy relationships.
We cannot hide the fact that today we are experiencing an environmental crisis. Your unique location gives you access to capital, technology and talent, resources that can drive innovation in order to take better care of the health of our common home.
Your commitment to sustainable development and the preservation of creation is an example to follow, and your search for innovative solutions to address environmental challenges can encourage other countries to do the same. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 12/9/2024)
