Laudato sì a "universal voice" in defense of creation
Singapore (AsiaNews) - " By addressing Laudato Si’ to a universal audience, Pope Francis continues the tradition of Pacem in Terris (1963), which was the first papal encyclical addressed not only to Catholics, but to “all people of goodwill” says Franciscan friar Fr. John Wong, head of the Custody of St. Anthony that covers Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.
The priest was commenting on the encyclical of Pope Francis "Laudato sì", dedicated to the environment and creation, our "common home". The religious says the document is a "universal voice of conscience", which focuses on three essential elements of existence: "Faith, hope and charity."
Residing in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and the capital city of the State of Jojor, Fr. John Wong operates in the three countries of South-East Asia. In particular, in Singapore he is active against human trafficking and the protection of women sex slaves. Previously he studied architecture, but he abandoned his career preferring to become - as he likes to say – a builder "of people and communities in the Church."
Fr. Wong says the papal encyclical incorporates " modern political realities and business practices, the rights of the poor, social media and travel, consumerism and technology, genetic modification, and trafficking of human and endangered species. The encyclical views these areas and more, through the lenses of philosophy, theology, spirituality and moral reason".
Fr. Wong says the Pope’s message “has a relevance greater than just the loss of plant and animal biodiversity in our primary rainforests and in our oceans. It is a reminder that as human beings, we are more interdependent on each other than we may care to admit”. “This profoundly resonates with the core Franciscan value of universal fraternity. St Francis of Assisi recognised that if there is only one God, who is Creator and Father of us all, then every human being and every creature is in fact brother and sister. We are inter-related, and we are called to lives of deeper communion and of fuller harmony".
Analyzing the text, the cleric said that "the recognition of the goodness and beauty" are "an integral part" of creation. "We live in a world - he says - where everyone and everything bears the imprint of the Divine Word, through whom everything that exists was called into being". The teachings present in the encyclical, can be applied "to how each of us lives and to the daily choices we make, including the ways in which we relate to each other within the family of God".
Finally, the priest recalls the passages in which Bergoglio cites the catechesis of St. John Paul II (2002) and references to St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan theologian. In the act of creation, says Fr. Wong, God has written a precious book, "through which we can meet God and his love in the mystery of the Incarnation."
In Singapore, the local Catholic community actually consists of more than 200 thousand Catholics, representing approximately 5 % of the population (Buddhism is the most popular with 43 %, followed by Christianity with 18%, 15% Islam, Hinduism and Taoism 11:05 %). The local church is going through a phase of growth and dynamism that led to the recent opening of a theological seminary, termed a real "milestone" for the local community.
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