SINGAPORE – Pope Francis on his first day of events in Singapore told national authorities they have a role to play in helping broker an end to global conflicts while praising their commitment to multilateralism and promoting the common good.
Speaking to national authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in Singapore Sept. 12, the pope said the city-state has “a specific role to play on the international level, which is threatened by conflict and wars that have spilled much blood,” adding impromptu, “let us not forget this.”
Francis voiced appreciation for Singapore’s support of multilateralism, a key geopolitical priority of history’s first pope from the developing world, and “a rules-based order shared by all.”
“I encourage you to continue to work in favor 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,” he said.
Though the pope did not mention any conflict specifically, it is widely believed he was referencing the war in Ukraine, including a potential role for Singapore in engaging China in identifying a path to peace.
China has so far remained largely neutral on the Russia-Ukraine war, having refrained from condemning Russia’s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion, while also abstaining during United Nations votes on the conflict.
Pope Francis has gone to great lengths to engage Chinese authorities on humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts, sending his personal peace envoy to Ukraine, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to Beijing last year to discuss possibilities for achieving peace.
Due to strong bilateral relations that Singapore and China enjoy, many observers believe that Singapore could potentially be a significant mediator.
Francis also touched on the environmental crisis, saying Singapore can also play an important role in moving things in the right direction thanks to their resources and innovation.
“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,” he said.
Pope Francis spoke to Singaporean authorities after paying a courtesy visit to the President, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and holding a private meeting with the Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, on his second day in the country.
His visit to Singapore is the second papal visit to the city-state, after a brief stop by St. John Paul II in 1986.
Shanmugaratnam on Thursday praised the Holy See under Francis for being “a strong and principled advocate for human fraternity and environmental sustainability.”
He pointed to various global challenges, saying, “The global order is weakening, and conflict and aggression remain unabated.”
“There has been growing intolerance within societies themselves. At the same time, we are seeing accelerating climate change, making the world less safe for humanity,” he said, saying the international community must “make more determined and forthright efforts to address each of these challenges.”
Shanmugaratnam himself addressed the issue of war, saying Pope Francis has been “an impassioned global voice” against it, calling repeatedly for peace.
He also lauded the pope for his efforts in promoting interfaith and intercultural harmony and dialogue.
“There was a time in our history when these realities gave rise to inter-communal tensions. For us, solidarity and harmony have therefore been at the core, and will remain core features in our national development,” he said.
Pope Francis called Singapore “a commercial crossroads of primary importance and a place where different peoples meet.”
He recalled Singapore’s struggle for independence from Malaysia, which it achieved in August 1965, noting that in the decades since, the small city-state has become one of the world’s most prosperous nations, with a highly developed free market economy and strong international trade relations.
Singapore’s story, the pope said, “is one of growth and resilience. From humble beginnings, this nation has reached an advanced level of development, which can only stem from rational decisions and not by chance.”
Successful development, he said, is the result of a firm commitment to promoting projects and initiatives “that are well thought-out and in tune with the specific characteristics of the place.”
Francis praised Singapore’s commitment not just to economic prosperity, but also to promoting social justice and the common good, and pointed to specific initiatives, such as sustainable housing policies, investment in education, and an efficient healthcare system.
Yet the pope warned that there is a risk “in focusing solely on pragmatism or placing merit above all things.”
“Namely the unintended consequence of justifying the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress,” he said.
To this end, he acknowledged various projects aimed at supporting the vulnerable, especially the poor and elderly, as well as migrant workers. These workers, he said, “contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage.”
Francis pointed to the rapid development of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, but cautioned against the diminishment of personal interaction, saying strides forward in this sector “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,” he said.
Francis alluded to Singapore’s vast cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, noting that regardless of their different backgrounds, citizens live together peacefully. This inclusiveness, he said, “is facilitated by the impartiality of public authorities who engage in constructive dialogue with all.”
A willingness to dialogue makes it possible, he said, for “everyone to make their own unique contribution to the common good and preventing extremism and intolerance from gaining strength or endangering social harmony.”
His appeal for an end to extremism comes after a similar appeal made during his visit to Jakarta, where he met with the Grand Imam of the city’s famed Istiqlal Mosque and urged Islamic authorities to adopt an attitude of moderation and interreligious dialogue.
It also comes the day after the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack in the United States that targeted the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, claiming nearly 3,000 lives.
“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 pope said.
These qualities, he said, “are necessary for avoiding conflict and chaos and provide instead for a balanced and sustainable development.”
Francis pointed to the Church’s contribution to Singaporean society, particularly in the fields of healthcare and education, and acknowledged the role of missionaries in laying the foundation for the success of these initiatives.
He pointed to Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s 1965 declaration on relations with non-Christian religions, saying the Church has consistently promoted interreligious dialogue and cooperation between all faith communities.
The Church has done so, he said, “in a spirit of openness and mutual respect, which are fundamental for building a just and peaceful society.”
He also underlined the importance of the role of the family, noting that the foundations of family life “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,” he said, and called for the promotion of initiatives that “promote, protect and support family unity through the work of various institutions.”
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