SINGAPORE In dialogue with young people of all religions, Francis’ final words in Singapore

The Pope left for Rome from the South-East Asian metropolis, the fourth stop on his long journey through Asia and Oceania. “Religions are different languages ​​on the path to God. If you dialogue as young people, you will also dialogue as adults, as citizens, as politicians. Take risks, do not be afraid.” To the elderly and the sick: “Your prayer is very important before God.”

Singapore () – At 12.25 local time, Pope Francis left for Singapore for the long flight that will take him back to Rome tonight, after the long journey that since 2 September has seen him make stops in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and the city-state, an important crossroads of Southeast Asia. At the airport, the Pontiff arrived directly from the Catholic Junior College, one of the most important faces of the educational presence of the local Church, where the last appointment of this visit was scheduled: the interreligious meeting, which in Singapore had as its protagonists the young people of the different religious confessions, with the leaders sitting in the front row of the auditorium to listen to his dialogue with Pope Francis.

It was a lively discussion, in which the pontiff – as he had done in East Timor with the young people – responded to their testimonies and questions, leaving aside the prepared speech. Raaj, a young Hindu, confessed to him the bitter feeling of finding himself pursuing interreligious dialogue as if “in a bubble”: “There are days when I cry,” he said, “because I feel that just when we are making progress in promoting friendship among young people, suddenly we learn of global violence and the loss of life in the name of religion.” Preet, a young Sikh, asked him how “to overcome the fear of being judged, given the strong pressure to perform well in all aspects of life.” Nicole, a young Catholic educator, raised the question of artificial intelligence and its fine line between truth and manipulation, even in religious matters.

In response, Francis spoke of the courage to allow oneself to be criticised by others, in a “sincere dialogue between young people.” Because those who choose to always live in a comfort zone “are young people who fatten their minds.” That is why I say to young people: take risks, go out, do not be afraid, fear is a dictatorial attitude that paralyses.” Regarding the media and new digital tools, he reiterated the invitation to use them, without closing in on oneself, but at the same time not to remain slaves to them, ending up “dispersing.” He also mentioned the scourge of bullying and urged respect for the disabled.

Regarding the diversity of religions, Francis invited us to see them as “different languages” on the “path to God.” “If we start to say ‘my religion is more beautiful and true than yours’ we end up arguing,” he said. “But God is God for everyone. And since God is God for everyone, we are all children of God.” He concluded by inviting those present of all confessions “to pray in silence for one another.”

“If you engage in dialogue as young people, you will also engage in dialogue as adults, as citizens, as politicians. And I would like to tell you something about history: all dictatorships in history, the first thing they do is cut off dialogue.”

At the end of the meeting, the young people read together a declaration that said: “We, the future generation, commit ourselves to be a beacon of unity and hope in promoting cooperation and friendship that foster harmonious coexistence among people of different religions.” With them, Pope Francis also symbolically completed with a brushstroke a painting that will remain as a reminder of this day and of this commitment.

Before the private interreligious meeting with the young people, Francis had received the priests, religious and bishops of the local Episcopal Conference, which brings together Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Then, as at each stage of his apostolic journey, he met some elderly and sick people cared for by local Catholic centres, at the St. Teresa Home, founded in 1935 by the Little Sisters of the Poor. “I ask you to pray for the Church and for humanity,” he told them. “Your prayer is very important before God.”