‘Defend unity in diversity, promoting justice’

In his address to the country’s authorities and diplomatic corps, Francis referred to Indonesia’s Constitution, which is opposed to extremism and intolerance, which today translates into bloody conflicts around the world. He urged people to ask for God’s blessing “so as not to rely solely on our own strength.” He met President Joko Widodo and congratulated his successor Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta () – Indonesia is a great example of “unity in diversity”. But it is a balance that “must be continually defended against any imbalance”. And the Church wants to make its contribution with interreligious dialogue, especially at a time when so many violent conflicts in the world “are the result of a lack of mutual respect, of the intolerant desire to make one’s own interests, one’s own position or one’s own partial vision of history prevail at all costs, even if this means endless suffering for entire communities and gives rise to truly bloody wars”.

This is the message that Pope Francis addressed to Indonesia and the entire world from Jakarta, the most populous Muslim country, in the first address of his long apostolic journey through South-East Asia and Oceania. The day of the pontiff began with a welcome at the presidential palace of the outgoing president Joko Widodo, with whom he had a private conversation. “Immersed in the beauty of this land, a place of encounter and dialogue between different cultures and religions,” wrote the pontiff when signing the Guest Book, “I express my hope that the Indonesian people will grow in faith, fraternity and compassion. God bless Indonesia!”

Francis then headed to the oldest part of the Istana Negara complex, where he addressed the authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps, and also greeted the current Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto, who was elected in February to succeed Joko Widodo and will take over the presidency on October 20. He addressed him, who was present in the front row during the meeting, and expressed his best wishes for “fruitful work in the service of Indonesia.”

“Just as the ocean is the natural element that unites all Indonesian islands, so mutual respect for the specific cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious particularities of all human groups that make up Indonesia is the indispensable connective tissue that unites and makes the Indonesian people proud.”

This harmony is achieved when each individual opinion takes into account the needs that are common and when each ethnic group and religious confession acts in a spirit of fraternity.” But it is an attitude that does not arise by itself, it is a task. It is a craft work that corresponds to everyone, but in a special way to the task that politics carries out – he added – when it sets as its objective harmony, equity, respect for the fundamental rights of the human being, sustainable development, solidarity and the achievement of peace, both within society and in relations with other peoples and nations.” And it is above all a work that requires joining forces “to overcome the imbalances and pockets of misery that still persist in some areas.”

In this sense, the Catholic Church is also putting itself at the service of the common good in Indonesia and intends to follow with ever greater conviction the path of interreligious dialogue “to eliminate prejudices and foster a climate of respect and mutual trust which is essential to face common challenges, including the fight against extremism and intolerance, which – distorting religion – try to impose themselves by means of deceit and violence.”

Francis reiterated his opposition to any form of proselytism and praised the fact that in Indonesia the 1945 Constitution in its Preamble refers twice in a few lines “to Almighty God and the need for his blessing to descend upon the nascent State”. “In other contexts – he commented – people consider that they can or should dispense with seeking God’s blessing, judging it superfluous for the human being and for civil society, they think that these should be promoted by their own forces, however, in doing so they often encounter frustration and failure. And conversely, there are cases in which faith in God is continually placed in the foreground, but often, unfortunately, to be manipulated and not to serve to build peace, communion, dialogue, respect, collaboration and fraternity, to build the country, but to foment divisions and hatred”.

As for “social justice,” which the Preamble of the Indonesian Constitution itself invokes as the foundation of international order, Pope Francis denounced the numerous situations in which “a considerable part of humanity is relegated to the margins, deprived of the adequate means for a dignified existence and without the means to confront the serious and growing social imbalances that cause serious conflicts.” But he also condemned the “legislation of death,” which seeks to solve the problem by limiting births. “In your country, on the other hand, there are families with three, four, and even five children,” he commented. “And this can be seen in the average age of the country. Keep up the good work. It is an example for all nations.”

Throughout his speech, Francis urged Indonesia to remain faithful to its “inspiring principles.” “I hope that everyone, in their daily work, will be inspired by these principles and put them into practice in the ordinary performance of their respective duties, because peace is the fruit of justice,” he warned. “In fact, harmony is achieved when each person is committed, not only according to his own interests and his own vision, but with a view to the good of all, to building bridges, to promoting agreements and creating synergies, to joining forces and to defeating every form of moral, economic and social misery, and to promoting peace and harmony. Dear brothers and sisters, continue on this path, which is good and right. May God bless Indonesia with peace, for a future full of hope.”