Pope Francis, who is currently in Singapore as part of his historic four-nation tour to Asia-Pacific, has urged the country to protect the dignity of migrant workers. The Pope made the statement during his state address at the NUS University Cultural Centre on September 12, which was attended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and other citizens.
The Pope delivered his speech in Italian. “These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” the Pope said, as per the translation of his speech provided by the Vatican.
Pope Francis praised Singapore’s growth story as one that was achieved with rational decisions and not by chance. The Vatican leader spoke about Singapore’s education, healthcare system and economic prosperity.
“In this regard, I would like to highlight the risk entailed 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, as quoted by CNA.
Singapore’s leaders also received praise from Pope Francis, who said the country’s harmony was attributed to meaning discussions between the public and authorities.
The 87-year-old religious leaders highlighted the contributions of the Catholic Church in Singapore to the country’s progress in the education and healthcare sector.
Speaking before Pope Francis, President Tharman noted that the Pontiff has been a global voice against war, who worked on promoting harmony. He said this philosophy resonated with Singaporeans, who live in a country that values inclusion and communal harmony.
“Diversity is tolerated in Singapore, but it has come to be more than that. It is embraced and viewed as bringing richness to our lives,” the President added. “None of this came naturally. It has been the work of nation-building over decades.”
The Pope arrived in the country on September 11. Singapore is his last stop before he heads back to the Vatican on September 13. His current trip spans 12 days and is the longest since he was elected as the head of the Catholic Church in 2013.
Before his address at the NUS, the Pope was welcomed at Parliament House where he met President Tharman and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Met His Holiness Pope Francis; welcomed him to Singapore. This is his 1st papal visit here and the 1st by a sitting Pope in nearly 40 years. Singapore & the Vatican enjoy good people-to-people ties. pic.twitter.com/gstjxxjVg4
— Lawrence Wong (@LawrenceWongST) September 12, 2024
Also read: Pope Francis embarks on historic Asia Pacific journey, to visit Singapore on September 11
Later, on Thursday, Pope Francis will deliver a homily to 50,000 people during a mass at the National Stadium.
