Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP
Eurasia
12/09/2024 15:28
Singapore needs to be mindful of the “fragile” people in society, Francis told the gathering in Asia’s economic hub and most prosperous city-state, a day before he concludes his marathon Asia-Pacific tour, UCA News reported.
“While good works may have brilliant, strong, rich, and creative people behind them, there are always fragile women and men, like us, for whom without love there is no life, no impetus, no reason to act, no strength to build,” he said during the mass.
The Church leaders who celebrated the mass with him were Cardinal William Goh, the archbishop of Singapore, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, bishop of Penang, and Archbishop Julian Leow of Kuala Lumpur, who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Some 300 priests joined them.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and some of his cabinet ministers were present for the mass.
Francis said prosperity and greatness come because of love and sacrifice.
“If there is anything good that exists and endures in this world, it is only because, in innumerable situations, love has prevailed over hate, solidarity over indifference, generosity over selfishness,” he said.
Francis reminded the packed stadium that it was necessary to be mindful of these people who made progress possible.
“Sometimes the greatness and grandeur of our projects can make us forget this, and fool us into thinking that we can be the sole authors of our lives, of our wealth, our well-being, our happiness.
Francis also stressed the need for love and charity to prosper in faith.
“Life brings us back to one reality: without love we are nothing” and faith shows that “at the root of our capacity to love and be loved is God himself. It is in Christ that all that we are and can become have their origin and fulfillment.”
The last papal visit to Singapore was in 1986 by Pope John Paul II, who spent just five hours in the city state, including officiating mass at the old National Stadium in the rain, according to South China Morning Post.
