Cardinal Parolin: Pope will bring closeness and peace to Asia and Oceania

By Massimiliano Menichetti

Four countries await Pope Francis, who from September 2 to 13 will be in Asia and Oceania, bringing the light of Christ. He will be a witness of dialogue to build fraternity and unity.

Speaking to Vatican Media ahead of his 45th Apostolic Journey abroad, Cardinal Pietro Parolin underscored that closeness is a central feature of Pope Francis' pontificate, noting that in a world wounded by wars and violence, peace is built through encounters, sincere relationships, and by overcoming selfishness.

The Vatican Secretary of State will not depart with the Pope aboard the papal plane on Monday, because on Tuesday, September 3, he will celebrate the funeral of his mother, Ada, who died on August 31 at the age of 96, taking place in Schiavon, in the Italian province of Vicenza. The following interview with Cardinal Parolin was conducted on August 27.

Q: The Pope is about to embark on the longest journey of his pontificate: he will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. What are Pope Francis' hopes?

Cardinal Parolin: The first hope that Pope Francis carries in his heart is that of encounter: to personally meet the people of the countries he will visit.

In other words, it’s about once again expressing the theme of closeness, a concept that so deeply characterizes the style of his pontificate, and of which the apostolic journeys are a significant expression: closeness to listen, closeness to share the burdens of the difficulties, sufferings, and hopes of the people, and closeness to bring everyone the joy, consolation, and hope of the Gospel.

Putting it in Saint Paul VI words, I would say that the more geographically distant the countries he visits are, the more the Holy Father feels this urgency in his heart.

Q: Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world, where the Church is committed to strengthening fraternity in a pluralistic  conext  that also faces social and political problems. Could the presence of the Successor of Peter help in this path of unity?

The territories the Pope will visit are characterized by a multiplicity of cultures, denominations, and religious traditions. They are truly pluralistic realities!

I think in particular of Indonesia, where,partly thanks to the Pancasila, the five principles on which the nation is founded, relations between the various groups have been fundamentally marked by acceptance of the other, mutual respect, dialogue, and moderation.

Against any pressure to alter this situation, against any temptation of radicalism, which, unfortunately, is present  in all parts of the world, the Holy Father’s words and actions will be a strong and pressing invitation not to abandon this path, and they will help sustain and encourage fraternity, which, as he likes to say, is unity in diversity.

This principle should also guide the approach to the social and political issues challenging this large archipelago.

Q: In Papua New Guinea, the Pope will meet people with ancient traditions and a strong faith. This nation rich in resources, yet extremely poor, where nature is unspoiled, faces the challenges of climate change, exploitation, and corruption. Port Moresby is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Will the Pope’s visit bring a new direction?

Yes, Papua New Guinea also shows signs of contradiction: the extraordinary richness of resources often contrasts with great poverty, caused by injustice, corruption, and political and economic inequalities. Similarly, the unspoiled beauty of creation faces the dramatic consequences of climate change and the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources.

Pope Francis intends to support all possible efforts—by political institutions, religions, and by appealing to everyone’s responsibility—to bring about change towards a vital and constant commitment to justice, attention to the poorest, and care for our common home.

Q: Timor-Leste will be the third stop of the papal journey. This country experienced years of suffering until it gained independence 25 years ago. It will join ASEAN next year, but significant disparities between the periphery and the center remain. What message will Pope Francis bring to this place where faith and history are inseparably intertwined?

Having personally followed Timor-Leste during my years as an Official in the Secretariat of State, I was a direct witness to the suffering that marked its history. It felt like a situation that was completely closed, blocked.

Therefore, I have always considered what happened 25 years ago when it achieved independence as a kind of “miracle.” The Christian faith, which makes Timor-Leste the most Catholic country in Asia, played a decisive role in supporting efforts toward that goal.

I now think that the same faith, through deeper spiritual formation, must inspire the Timorese in transforming their society, overcoming divisions, effectively fighting inequality and poverty, and countering negative phenomena such as youth violence and the violation of women’s dignity. The presence of the Holy Father will certainly provide a decisive boost in this direction.

Q: The final stop of this journey will be the city-state of Singapore, where different religions coexist in harmony. How might the Pope further promote interreligious dialogue and strengthen ties between the various communities in the country?

Singapore, the last stop on this long journey, represents an example of peaceful coexistence in today’s multicultural and multi-religious society.

This is a city-state that hosts people from all over the world, a mosaic of different cultures and religious and spiritual traditions.

Pope Francis will especially meet young people engaged in interreligious dialogue, entrusting them with the future of this path, so that they may become protagonists of a more fraternal and peaceful world.

Q: Could this visit to Asia open other bridges and further strengthen the relations between the Holy See and Asian countries?

In response to this question, I start with Singapore, whose population is mostly of Chinese ethnicity, making it a privileged place to engage in dialogue with Chinese culture and people in general.

Indonesia, as mentioned, is the most populous Muslim country: the visit to Jakarta could provide a favorable occasion for further engagement with Islam, particularly, but not exclusively, its Asian component.

Two—soon to be three—of the countries involved in the papal visit are members of ASEAN, a community that also includes other important nations in the area such as Vietnam and Myanmar.

The closeness and message of peace that Pope Francis will bring during this journey are equally addressed to all these realities.

Q: In this moment of great international tensions due to wars, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East, does this visit indeed represent a seed of hope, dialogue, and fraternity? How can we raise awareness in the international community and concretely build peace in a world that seems to be heading toward an abyss?

I return to the concept of closeness and proximity mentioned earlier. To build peace, it is necessary to strive to adopt the attitudes that each apostolic journey proposes: to meet, look each other in the eye, and speak sincerely.

Direct encounters, if inspired by the pursuit of the common good and not by particular and ultimately selfish interests, can break through even the most insensitive and hardened hearts and make respectful and constructive dialogue possible.