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Jean Iau

Pope Francis’ recent visit to Singapore has resonated deeply with the city state’s long-standing goal of fostering more dialogue between people of different faiths, observers told This Week in Asia.
The pope’s presence has invigorated hopes among interfaith advocates for more profound conversations on sensitive topics among Singaporeans regardless of their beliefs.
Rounding off his 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific, the 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church spent three days in Singapore, where he presided over a mass attended by 50,000 at the National Stadium and delivered a state address.
Singapore prides itself on its religious harmony, with a 2020 survey revealing that 31.1 per cent of residents aged 15 and above identified as Buddhists, 18.9 per cent as Christians, 15.6 per cent as Muslims, and 5 per cent as Hindus, alongside 20 per cent who reported no religious affiliation.
Notably, only about 395,000 people, or less than 10 per cent of the population, are Catholics, according to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
On his final day in Singapore, Pope Francis held an interreligious dialogue on Friday with young people at Catholic Junior College, urging them to embrace open discussions about faith.

“Young people must have the courage to build, to move forward and go out of their ‘comfort zones’,” he said to some 600 participants from over 50 schools and interfaith and religious organisations. “A young person who chooses always to spend his or her time in ‘comfort’ is a young person who becomes fat! Not fatter in body, but fatter in mind!”
“The age of youth is the age of courage,” he added. “You should have courage to move forward and to dialogue.”
Shukul Raaj Kumar, a Hindu and the chief coordinator of the Inter-Religious Organisation Youth Wing, told This Week in Asia that the session rejuvenated his conviction in fostering interfaith relations.
“Pope Francis’s presence here served as a bridge, fostering deeper relationships between Christian and non-Christian communities,” the 28-year-old said. “By recognising our shared humanity, we can work together toward collective social upliftment, benefiting everyone within our diverse society.”
The pope’s message also resonated with Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib, a founding board member of the Centre for Interfaith Understanding in Singapore.
He noted that Singapore’s interfaith dialogue has evolved to address previously avoided sensitive issues such as racism, interfaith marriage and LGBTQ rights.
“As a deeply diverse society, we need to learn how to engage in differences and come to a realisation that despite our disagreements, we can still embrace each other as fellow citizens or human beings with the same rights and dignity,” he said.
Nazhath Faheema, founder of youth social harmony advocacy group hash.peace, said Francis directly responded to questions from the young audience on Friday, instead of relying on his prepared speech, and outlined an important message about inclusivity by referring to recent history.
“His reflection on how dictatorships in history have always sought to cut off dialogue served as a powerful reminder of the critical role that open conversations play in building resilient and inclusive communities,” she said. “I think this is a very important point now with the rise of right-wing nationalism that allows religious extremism to shut down dialogue.”

However, the pope’s remarks on the unity of all religions sparked debate among some Singaporeans.
“All religions are paths to God. I will use an analogy: they are like different languages that express the divine. But God is for everyone, and therefore, we are all God’s children … There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian,” the Argentinian pontiff said.
This perspective was met with resistance from Muslim leader Mohd Khair, founder of the pro-family organisation Protect Singapore, who said in a social media post that “Islam rejects the understanding of religious pluralism”.
Faheema contended that such disagreements should not overshadow the pope’s emphasis on interfaith respect and human dignity.
“To respect freedom of religion in a multi-religious society, one must also recognise that different paths exist toward the divine,” she said. “Rejecting this diversity might isolate one in a closed system, preventing meaningful engagement with the broader world.”
Imran, also a founding director of the Dialogue Centre, underscored the importance of harmony among different faiths.


“The pope is acknowledging that diversity in faiths will always exist,” he said. “We may think our religion carries the truth, but we must avoid the syndrome of superiority. To think one religion is superior to another is a recipe for disaster. It is the root of many interreligious conflicts.”
During his state address on Thursday, the pope cautioned against a singular focus on pragmatism, which could justify “the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress”. He called for special attention to the poor, the elderly, and the dignity of migrant workers, saying “these workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage”.
Norhaiyah Mahmood, president of the Humanist Society (Singapore), noted that the pope’s focus on inclusivity and support for marginalised communities aligns with her organisation’s advocacy for equality and justice.
“While his points are couched in religious language, many of the ideals expressed – building a fair society, ensuring inclusivity, and acting for the common good – resonate with secular humanist principles,” she said. “There can be common ground between religious and irreligious groups in addressing societal challenges.”


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‘All religions are paths to God’: Pope Francis’ Singapore visit spurs interfaith debate

Singapore

Pope Francis attends an interreligious meeting with young people at Singapore’s Catholic Junior College on Friday. Photo: dpa

Pope Francis presides over a holy mass at the National Stadium in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: AP

People pray at a mass presided over by Pope Francis at the National Stadium in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: AP

Pope Francis’ Singapore visit unites thousands for historic mass

Pope Francis leads holy mass at the National Stadium in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Annabelle Siena Lim at the National Stadium in Singapore for the pope’s mass. Annabelle Siena Lim

Pope Francis meets with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, at the Parliament House in Singapore. Photo: Pool/Reuters

Catholic faithful attend the holy mass led by Pope Francis at the National Stadium in Singapore. Photo: EPA-EFE

Catholic faithful attend the holy mass being led by Pope Francis in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Pope Francis’ historic Indonesia visit highlights religious intolerance despite unity claims

Pope Francis (left) delivers his address as Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo looks on during a meeting with Indonesian authorities, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday. Photo: Vatican Media/AFP

Muslims gather outside the Istiqlal Mosque ahead of Pope Francis’ visit in Jakarta. The mosque will host an interfaith meeting between representatives of Indonesia’s six officially recognised religions and Pope Francis. Photo EPA-EFE

Joko Widodo receives Pope Francis during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Photo: Vatican Media/dpa

‘It’s a dream’: Filipinos in Singapore rejoice at once-in-a-lifetime chance to see pope

Pope Francis waves to members of the Catholic community at a cathedral in Jakarta last week. The pontiff is set to arrive in Singapore on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Worshippers gather for a holy mass led by Pope Francis in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Sunday. Photo: AFP

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore’s oldest Catholic church. About 395,000 Catholics live in Singapore. Photo: Singapore MCI

This Week in Asia

People

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Asia

Southeast Asia

The pope’s emphasis on unity extended to marginalised communities – including migrant workers – sparking dialogue on inclusiveness


The pope’s emphasis on unity extended to marginalised communities – including migrant workers – sparking dialogue on inclusiveness.


Pope Francis

Catholic Church

Religion

Human rights