Complete speech by Pope Francis to the Indonesian authorities

Speech by Pope Francis addressed to the authorities, civil society and the Diplomatic Corps gathered in the hall State Palace of the Presidential Palace of Indonesia, the first stop on his trip to Asia, the longest of his pontificate.

Mr. President, distinguished authorities, eminences, cardinals, bishops, distinguished representatives of religious communities, of the different religions, distinguished representatives of civil society, members of the Diplomatic Corps.

I cordially thank you, Mr. President, for the pleasant invitation to visit the country and for your kind words of greeting. I extend to the president-elect my warmest wishes for fruitful work in the service of Indonesia, a vast archipelago of thousands and thousands of islands bathed by the sea that connects Asia with Oceania.

It could almost be said that, just as the ocean is the natural element that unites all the Indonesian islands, the mutual respect for the specific cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious characteristics of all the human groups that make up Indonesia is the indispensable common thread that makes May the Indonesian people be united and proud.

Your national motto The single difference is (Unity in diversityliterally many but one) reveals this multiform reality of diverse peoples firmly integrated into a single nation. And it also shows that, just as the great biodiversity present in this archipelago is a source of wealth and splendor, in the same way, the specific differences contribute to forming a magnificent mosaic, in which each piece is an irreplaceable element in the composition of a great original and beautiful work. And this is his treasure, it is his greatest wealth.

Harmony in respect for differences is achieved when each particular opinion takes into account common needs and when each ethnic group and religious confession acts in a spirit of fraternity, pursuing the noble objective of serving the good of all. The awareness of participating in a shared history, in which each person contributes their own and where the solidarity of each part towards the whole is fundamental, helps to identify appropriate solutions, to avoid the polarization of differences and to transform opposition into collaboration. effective.

This wise and delicate balance, between the multiplicity of different cultures and ideological visions and the reasons that underpin unity, must be continually defended against any imbalance. It is, I repeat, a craft task entrusted to everyone, but especially to the action carried out by politics, when harmony, equity, respect for fundamental human rights, sustainable development, solidarity are set as goals. and the search for peace, both within society and with other peoples and nations. Hence the greatness of politics. A wise man said that politics is the highest form of charity. This is beautiful.

In order to promote a peaceful and constructive harmony that guarantees peace and unifies efforts to overcome the imbalances and pockets of misery that still persist in some areas, the Church wishes to increase interreligious dialogue. In this way, prejudices can be eliminated and a climate of respect and mutual trust will be fostered, essential factors to face common challenges, among them, countering extremism and intolerance, which – distorting religion – try to impose themselves by using of deception and violence. On the other hand, closeness, listening to the opinions of others, this creates the brotherhood of a nation. And this is something very beautiful, very beautiful.

The Catholic Church places itself at the service of the common good and wishes to strengthen cooperation with public institutions and other civil society organizations, but never by proselytizing, ever. She respects each person’s faith. And with this, she encourages the formation of a more balanced social fabric and ensure a more effective and equitable distribution of social assistance.

Let me now refer to the Preamble of your 1945 Constitution, which offers valuable indications on the direction of the path that democratic and independent Indonesia has chosen. And this is a very beautiful story; When you read it, you see that it was everyone’s choice.

In just a few lines, the Preamble twice refers to Almighty God and the need for His blessing to descend upon the nascent State of Indonesia. Likewise, the introductory text of your Basic Law refers twice to social justice, demanding an international order based on it, as one of the main objectives to be achieved for the benefit of all the Indonesian people.

Unity in multiplicity, social justice and divine blessing are, therefore, the fundamental principles, intended to inspire and guide specific programs, they are like the supporting structure, the solid foundation on which to build the house. And how can we not notice that these principles correspond very well with the motto of my visit to Indonesia: “Faith, brotherhood and compassion”?

Unfortunately, however, we see in today’s world certain tendencies that hinder the development of universal brotherhood (cf. Letter Fratelli tutti, 9). In various regions we see violent conflicts arising, which are often 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 a endless suffering for entire communities and give rise to real bloody wars.

Sometimes violent tensions also arise within the states themselves, because those in power want to standardize everything, imposing their vision even on matters whose decision should be left to the autonomy of each individual or associated groups.

On the other hand, despite persuasive political statements, there are many situations in which an effective, broad-minded commitment to building social justice is lacking. As a consequence, a considerable part of humanity is relegated to the margins, deprived of the adequate means for a dignified existence, and without defenses to confront the serious and growing social imbalances, causing serious conflicts. And how is this solved? With a law of death, that is, limiting births, limiting the greatest wealth that a country has, which is births. Your country, on the other hand, has families of three, four, five children. And this is seen in the age level of the country. Keep it up. It is an example for all countries. Maybe this is funny; Maybe some families prefer to have a cat, a small dog, and not a child. This is not right.

In other contexts, furthermore, people consider that they can or should do without the search for God’s blessing, judging it superfluous for human beings and for civil society, it is thought that these should be promoted with their own forces, however, when Doing so is often met with 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 serve not to build peace, communion, dialogue, respect, collaboration and brotherhood, but to foment divisions and increase hatred.

Brothers and sisters, in the face of these shadows, it is pleasant to observe how the philosophy that inspires the organization of the Indonesian State manifests wisdom and balance. In this regard, I make my own the words that Saint John Paul II spoke during his visit to this same palace, in 1989. Among other things, he stated: “In the recognition of the presence of a legitimate plurality, in respect for Human Rights and politicians of all citizens, and in supporting the growth of national unity based on tolerance and respect for others, you lay the foundations of the just and peaceful society that Indonesians want for themselves and want to bequeath to their children. (Address to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, October 9, 1989).

In the course of historical events, even if sometimes the inspiring principles, previously recalled, have not always had the force to prevail in all circumstances, they remain valid and reliable, like a lighthouse that shows us the direction to take. and warns us about the most dangerous mistakes to avoid.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I hope that everyone, in their daily work, knows how to be inspired by these principles and make them effective in the ordinary performance of their respective functions, because the work of justice and peacepeace is the fruit of justice. Harmony, in fact, is achieved when each person commits themselves, not only based on their own interests and their own vision, but with a view to the good of all, to build bridges, to favor agreements and create synergies, to unite efforts and defeat all forms of moral, economic and social misery, and to promote peace and harmony.

Dear brothers and sisters, continue on your path, which is so beautiful and so correct. And so I bring blessings to all the people: God bless Indonesia with peace, for a future full of hope. And may God bless you all!