Pope Francis Quotes

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Pope Francis on Compassion:

"The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness."

"A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just."

"Too often we participate in the globalization of indifference. May we strive instead to live global solidarity."

"Let us care for one another and let us be loving custodians of creation." (2nd Tweet as Pope)

"Kindness is firm and persevering intention to always will the good of others, even the unfriendly."

"We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace."

"We will never be disillusioned or lose our way if we are guided by God."

"We all have the duty to do good."

"Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason."

Pope Francis on Education:

"How do we help our young people not to see a university degree as synonymous with higher status, with more money or social prestige? It is not synonymous with that. How can we help make their education a mark of greater responsibility in the face of today's problems, the needs of the poor, concern for the environment?"

"Solidarity, as a moral virtue and social attitude born of personal conversion, calls for commitment on the part of those responsible for education and formation."

"Dialogue, in fact, educates when the person relates with respect, esteem and sincere listening, and is expressed with authenticity without obscuring or softening one's own identity nourished by evangelical inspiration."

"Education is not about knowing things or taking lessons but about being able to use three lingos: those of the head, the heart, and the hands... learning so that you can think about what you feel and do, can feel what you think and do, and can do what you feel and think. Unity within a person."

“This old man now speaking to you [university students] also dreams that yours will become a generation of teachers! Teachers of humanity. Teachers of compassion....Teachers of hope.” 

"Perhaps the mission of the university is to train social poets, men and women who, upon learning the grammar and vocabulary of humanity, have a spark, a brilliance that allows them to imagine the unknown”

Pope Francis on Environment:

"We must not be indifferent or resigned to the loss of biodiversity and the destruction of ecosystems, often caused by our irresponsible and selfish behavior... Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence ... We have no such right."

"The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. In many parts of the planet, the elderly lament that once beautiful landscapes are now covered with rubbish."

"We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but also as a loan from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!"

"Our common home is being pillaged, laid waste and harmed with impunity. Cowardice in defending it is a grave sin."

"We must never forget that the natural environment is a collective good, the patrimony of all humanity and the responsibility of everyone,"

"God always forgives, we men forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives. If you give her a slap, she will will give you one. I believe that we have exploited nature too much."

"As stewards of God's creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling."

"A Christian who doesn't safeguard creation, who doesn't make it flourish, is a Christian who isn't concerned with God's work, that work born of God's love for us."

"May the relationship between man and nature not be driven by greed, to manipulate and exploit, but may the divine harmony between beings and creation be conserved in the logic of respect and care."

Pope Francis on Hope:

"Dear young people, do not be afraid of making decisive choices in life. Have faith; the Lord will not abandon you!"

"From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us."

"Although the life of a person is in a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God."

"Let us pray for peace: peace in the world and in each of our hearts."

"God's love calls us to move beyond fear. We ask God for the courage to put on faith, hope and love as we go out into the world and become the word in body as well as spirit."

Pope Francis on Immigration:

"Having doubts and fears is not a sin... The sin is to allow these fears to determine our responses, to limit our choices, to compromise respect and generosity, to feed hostility and rejection... The sin is to refuse to encounter the other, the different, the neighbor, when this is in fact a privileged opportunity to encounter the Lord ... to overcome our fears so as to encounter the other, to welcome, to know and to acknowledge him or her."

"Even hope, like all good things in this world, has enemies... Hope is the push in the heart of those who leave their home, and sometimes their family and relatives - I am thinking of migrants - to find a better life, with more dignity for themselves and their loved ones... It's also the push in the heart of those who welcome: the desire to encounter, meet, dialogue... hope is the push to share the journey,"

Pope Francis on the Marginalized:

"This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good."

"Openness to God makes us open towards the marginalized of this world, and gives us the courage to leave the confines of our own security and comfort to become bruised, hurting and dirty as we joyfully approach the suffering other in a spirit of solidarity."

"Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples."

Pope Francis on Refugees:

It's hypocrisy to call yourself a Christian and chase away a refugee or someone seeking help, someone who is hungry or thirsty, toss out someone who is in need of my help... If I say I am Christian, but do these things, I'm a hypocrite."

"The faith we proclaim tonight makes us see God present in all those situations where we think he is absent... He is present in the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognizable, who walks through our cities and our neighborhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our doors."

Pope Francis on Solidarity:

"Life is a journey. When we stop, things don't go right."

"We must always walk in the presence of the Lord, in the light of the Lord, always trying to live in an irreprehensible way."

"Solidarity, as a moral virtue and social attitude born of personal conversion, calls for commitment on the part of those responsible for education and formation."

"It is impossible for peace to exist without dialogue. All the wars, all the strife, all the unsolved problems over which we clash are due to a lack of dialogue. When there is a problem, talk: this makes peace."

"Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason."