Pope Francis Quotes & Sayings

Sin is more than a stain. Sin is a wound; it needs to be treated, healed. The place where my encounter with the mercy of Jesus takes place is my sin. — Pope Francis

We must walk united with our differences: there is no other way to become one. This is the way of Jesus. — Pope Francis

I am always wary of decisions made hastily. I am always wary of the first decision, that is, the first thing that comes to my mind if I have to make a decision. This is usually the wrong thing. I have to wait and assess, looking deep into myself, taking the necessary time. — Pope Francis

Living Holy Week following Jesus means learning how to come out of ourselves to reach out to others, to go to the outskirts of existence, to be the first to move towards our brothers and sisters, especially those who are most distant, those who are forgotten, those who are most in need of understanding, consolation and help. There is so much need to bring the living presence of Jesus, merciful and full of love! — Pope Francis

Human trafficking is an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ ... It is a crime against humanity. — Pope Francis

Each one of us is called to be an artisan of peace, by uniting and not dividing, by extinguishing hatred and not holding on to it, by opening paths to dialogue and not by constructing new walls! — Pope Francis

The annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will offer individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation, as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live ... — Pope Francis

We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of women within the church. The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions. — Pope Francis

It's best to not confuse optimism with hope. Optimism is a psychological attitude toward life. Hope goes further. It is an anchor that one hurls toward the future, it's what lets you pull on the line and reach what you're aiming for and head in the right direction. Hope is also theological: God is there, too. — Pope Francis

How many young people, how many young people of our Europe, whom we have left empty of ideals, who do not have work ... they take drugs, alcohol, or go there to enlist in fundamentalist groups. — Pope Francis

The great biblical tradition enjoins on all peoples the duty to hear the voice of the poor. It bids us break the bonds of injustice and oppression which give rise to glaring, and indeed scandalous, social inequalities. — Pope Francis

To follow Jesus means putting him first, and stripping ourselves of all the things that oppress our hearts. — Pope Francis

Not only would I say that the family is important for the evangelization of the new world. The family is important, and it is necessary for the survival of humanity. Without the family, the cultural survival of the human race would be at risk. The family, whether we like it or not, is the foundation. — Pope Francis

Having faith does not mean having no difficulties, but having the strength to face them, knowing we are not alone. — Pope Francis

Like the Good Samaritan, may we not be ashamed of touching the wounds of those who suffer, but try to heal them with concrete acts of love. — Pope Francis

Allow me to draw your attention to the value and beauty of marriage. The complementarity of man and woman, the vertex of the divine creation, is being questioned by gender ideology, in the name of a freer and more just society. The difference between man and woman is not meant to stand in opposition, or to subordinate, but is for the sake of communion and generation, always 'in the image and likeness of God.' — Pope Francis

The Holy Spirit transforms and renews us, creates harmony and unity, and gives us courage and joy for mission. — Pope Francis

From the Cross, Christ teaches us to love even those who do not love us. — Pope Francis

Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. — Pope Francis

If sadness comes to you one day with an invitation, tell it you are committed to joy and will be faithful to it your whole life long. — Pope Francis

When a society lacks God, even prosperity is joined by a terrible spiritual poverty. — Pope Francis

It is a mortal sin to discard the elderly. — Pope Francis

Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met ... I can say that the most beautiful and natural expressions of joy which I have seen in my life were in poor people who had little to hold on to. — Pope Francis

We cannot become starched Christians, too polite, who speak of theology calmly over tea. We have to become courageous Christians and seek out those (who need help most). — Pope Francis

The imposition of anomalous models and lifestyles are alien to people's identity and, in the end, are irresponsible. — Pope Francis

We ask Mary that, as the first disciple, she teach us to remain watching, that she accompany us in patience, strengthen us in hope; we ask that she lead us towards the meeting with her Risen Son; that she free us from fear, so that we cans hear the announcement of the angel ... to announce it to others who need it so much. — Pope Francis

Take good care of creation. St. Francis wanted that. People occasionally forgive, but nature never does. If we don't take care of the environment, there's no way of getting around it. — Pope Francis

May Christ the Savior give peace to Nigeria, where more blood is being shed and too many people are unjustly deprived of their possessions, held as hostages or killed. — Pope Francis

Without a solution to the problems of the poor, we will not solve the problems of the world. We need projects, mechanisms and processes to implement better distribution of resources, from the creation of new jobs to the integral promotion of those who are excluded'. — Pope Francis

All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace. — Pope Francis

Among other words used in ordinary conversation, [Francis of Assisi] could never hear "the love of God" without a kind of transformation within himself. For immediately upon hearing "the love of God," he would become excited, stirred, and inflamed, as though an inner chord of his heart had been plucked by the plectrum of the outward voice of the speaker ... . "The love of him," he said, "who loved us much is much to be loved."1 - Thomas of Celano,The Second Life of Saint Francis — Pope Francis

Around us there is the presence of evil. The devil is at work. But in a loud voice I say: GOD IS STRONGER. — Pope Francis

Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and a return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings. — Pope Francis

In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule. — Pope Francis

And now I would like to give the blessing, but first - first I ask a favor of you: before the Bishop blesses his people, I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their Bishop. — Pope Francis

We need to strengthen the conviction that we are one single human family. — Pope Francis

When we don't preach the LORD, we preach the Devil, and when we preach worldliness, we preach the Devil — Pope Francis

People have to struggle to live and, frequently, to live in an undignified way. One cause of this situation, in my opinion, is in the our relationship with money, and our acceptance of its power over ourselves and our society. — Pope Francis

Our faith in Christ, who became poor, and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis of our concern for the integral development of society's most neglected members. — Pope Francis

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

How many solutions are found to family problems if we take time to reflect? If we think of a husband or wife and we dream about their good qualities that they have? Don't ever lose the illusion of when you were boyfriend and girlfriend! — Pope Francis

I believe that in pretty much every religion there is always a small group of fundamentalists. — Pope Francis

We also try to reach out to people who are far away, via digital means, the web and brief messaging. — Pope Francis

The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! — Pope Francis

Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families. — Pope Francis

Yes, hypothetically, western Catholicism could revise the theme of celibacy ... But for the moment, I am in favor of maintaining celibacy, with the pros and the cons it has, because we have ten centuries of more good experiences than bad ones. — Pope Francis

We need to proclaim the Gospel on every street corner, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing, even with our preaching, every kind of disease and wound. — Pope Francis

Every people deserves to conserve its identity without being ideologically colonised. — Pope Francis

I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be 'protectors' of creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. — Pope Francis

Every threat to the family is a threat to society itself. — Pope Francis

There is no worse material poverty than one that does not allow for earning one's bread and deprives one of the dignity of work. Youth unemployment, informality, and the lack of labor rights are not inevitable; they are the result of a previous social option, of an economic system that puts profit above man; if the profit is economic, to put it above humanity or above man, is the effect of a disposable culture that considers the human being in himself as a consumer good, which can be used and then discarded. — Pope Francis

The family is a community of love where each of us learns to relate to others and to the world around us. — Pope Francis

Poverty is part of the natural condition and that is bad enough. But my task is to prevent the aggravation of this condition. — Pope Francis

Let those desert places in our hearts bloom. — Pope Francis

No one is saved alone, as an isolated individual, but God attracts us looking at the complex web of relationships that take place in the human community. God enters into this dynamic, this participation in the web of human relationships. — Pope Francis

The worldwide financial and economic crisis seems to highlight their distortions and above all the gravely deficient human perspective, which reduces man to one of his needs alone, namely, consumption. Worse yet, human beings themselves are nowadays considered as consumer goods which can be used and thrown away. — Pope Francis

It is the Paraclete Spirit, the "Comforter", who grants us the courage to take to the streets of the world, bringing the Gospel! The Holy Spirit makes us look to the horizon and drive us to the very outskirts of existence in order to proclaim life in Jesus Christ. Let us ask ourselves: do we tend to stay closed in on ourselves, on our group, or do we let the Holy Spirit open us to mission? — Pope Francis

A Christian who does not protect creation, who does not let it grow, is a Christian who does not care about the work of God; that work that was born from the love of God for us ... And this is the first response to the first creation: protect creation, make it grow. — Pope Francis

Through humility, soul searching, and prayerful contemplation we have gained a new understanding of certain dogmas. The church no longer believes in a literal hell where people suffer. This doctrine is incompatible with the infinite love of God. God is not a judge but a friend and a lover of humanity. God seeks not to condemn but only to embrace. Like the fable of Adam and Eve, we see hell as a literary device. Hell is merely a metaphor for the isolated soul, which like all souls ultimately will be united in love with God. — Pope Francis

The only way to heal is to look at the Cross, to look at God Who takes upon Himself our sins: my sin is there. — Pope Francis

We can coexist well [with Muslims]. But there are fundamentalist groups. — Pope Francis

How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith! Speaking about family life, I would like to say one thing: today, as Brazil and the Church around the world celebrate this feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Grandparents Day is also being celebrated. How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogues, especially within the context of the family. — Pope Francis

Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve. — Pope Francis

If I'm not mistaken, Sigmund Freud said that in every idealisation there's an aggression. Depicting the Pope as a sort of Superman, a star, is offensive to me. The pope is a man who laughs, cries, sleeps calmly and has friends like everyone else. A normal person. — Pope Francis

May God welcome the dead into his peace, comfort the families and convert the hearts of the violent ones, who do not even stop before children. — Pope Francis

The proclamation of the Gospel is destined primarily to the poor, to those who often lack the essentials for a decent life. The good news is first announced to them, that God loves them before all others and comes to visit them through the acts of charity that the disciples of Christ carry out in his name. — Pope Francis

Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you. And I humbly ask forgiveness. — Pope Francis

The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. — Pope Francis

Brothers and sisters, good evening. You all know that the duty of the conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother cardinals have gone almost to the ends of the earth to get him ... but here we are. — Pope Francis

Let's think of that moment when a woman washed the feet of Jesus with the nard, so expensive: it is a religious moment, a moment of gratitude, a moment of love. And he [Judas] stands apart with bitter criticism: 'But this could have been used for the poor!' This is the first reference that I have found, in the Gospel, to poverty as an ideology. The ideologue does not know what love is, because he does nt know how to give himself. — Pope Francis

Wine is a sign of happiness, love and plenty, how many of our adolescents and young people sense that these are no longer found in their homes? How many women, sad and lonely, wonder when love left, when it slipped away from their lives? How many elderly people feel left out of family celebrations, cast aside and longing each day for a little love? — Pope Francis

Resolve not to be overcome by evil, but to combat evil with good. — Pope Francis

Beware of getting too comfortable! When we are comfortable, it's easy to forget other people. — Pope Francis

Only we big sinners have this grace of knowing what salvation really means. — Pope Francis

I sincerely hope I can contribute to the progress there has been in relations between Jews and Catholics since the Second Vatican Council in a spirit of renewed collaboration. — Pope Francis

We must recover the whole sense of gift, of gratuitousness, of solidarity. Rampant capitalism has taught the logic of profit at all costs, of giving to get, of exploitation without looking at the person ... and we see the results in the crisis we are experiencing! This Home is a place that teaches charity, a "school" of charity, which instructs me to go encounter every person, not for profit, but for love. — Pope Francis

Dear young people, Jesus wants to be your friend, and wants you to spread the joy of this friendship everywhere. — Pope Francis

At times we can be self-absorbed. Lord, help us to open our hearts to others and to serve those who are most vulnerable. — Pope Francis

In this quest to seek and find God in all things, there is still an area of uncertainty. There must be. If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good. — Pope Francis

God calls you to make definitive choices, and He has a plan for each of you: to discover that plan and to respond to your vocation is to move toward personal fulfillment. — Pope Francis

It seems that humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood. — Pope Francis

Let us remember well, however, that whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor, from the hungry! — Pope Francis

Only a faithful and intense relationship with God makes it possible to get out of our own closedness and proclaim the Gospel with parrhesia. Without prayer our acts are empty and our proclamation has no soul; it is not inspired by the Spirit. — Pope Francis

How often we forget to dedicate ourselves to that which truly matters! We forget that we are children of God. — Pope Francis

You tell me: Can you live crushed under the weight of the present? Without a memory of the past and without the desire to look ahead to the future by building something, a future, a family? Can you go on like this? This, to me, is the most urgent problem that the Church is facing. — Pope Francis

In many places an administrative approach prevails over a pastoral approach, as does a concentration on administering the sacraments apart from other forms of evangelization. — Pope Francis

I don't know how things stand in the thinking of the Italian parliament. The Pope doesn't get mixed up in Italian politics. — Pope Francis

We have observed that, in society and the world in which we live, selfishness has increased more than love for others, and that men of good will must work, each with his own strengths and expertise, to ensure that love for others increases until it is equal and possibly exceeds love for oneself. — Pope Francis

Let each one ask him- or herself today, "Do I increase harmony in my family, in my parish, in my community, or am I a gossip? Am I a cause of division or embarrassment?" And you know the harm that gossiping does to the Church, to the parishes, the communities. Gossip does harm! Gossip wounds. Before Christians open their mouths to gossip, they should bite their tongue! To bite one's tongue: this does us good because the tongue swells and can no longer speak, cannot gossip. — Pope Francis

Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction. — Pope Francis

When food is shared in a fair way, with solidarity, when no one is deprived, every community can meet the needs of the poorest. Human ecology and environmental ecology walk together. — Pope Francis

What has the Cross left in each of us? You see, it gives us a treasure that no one else can give: the certainty of the faithful love which God has for us. A love so great that it enters into our sin and forgives it, enters into our suffering and gives us the strength to bear it. It is a love which enters into death to conquer it and save us. — Pope Francis

How I wish everyone had decent work! It is essential for human dignity. — Pope Francis

Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives and to make the most of ourselves. Yet if this freedom lacks noble goals or personal discipline, it degenerates into an inability to give oneself generously to others. — Pope Francis

The Church is or should go back to being a community of God's people, and priests, pastors and bishops, who have the care of souls, are at the service of the people of God. — Pope Francis

Avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil. — Pope Francis

When families bring children into the world, train them in faith and sound values, and teach them to contribute to society, they become a blessing in our world. — Pope Francis

The fight against evil is long and difficult. It is essential to pray constantly and to be patient. — Pope Francis

I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person's life. God is in everyone's life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else - God is in this person's life. You can - you must - try to seek God in every human life. — Pope Francis

Embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important ... — Pope Francis