Pope Francis
Argentine cardinal who, on 13 March 2013, became the first Latin American, the first Jesuit, and the first pope from outside Europe in over 1,200 years to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Born in 1936 in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, he served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires before his election to the papacy, and has become one of the most globally influential moral voices of the twenty-first century — known for his emphasis on humility, mercy, the dignity of the poor, the urgency of the climate crisis, and an inclusive ecumenical posture. His encyclicals Laudato Si' (2015, on the environment) and Fratelli Tutti (2020, on universal fraternity) have shaped global conversation well beyond Catholicism.
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Quotes by Pope Francis
110 quotes“A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.”
“The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits.”
“In this system, which tends to devour everything, anything that is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless.”
“To love God and neighbor is not something abstract, but profoundly concrete.”
“It means seeing in every person a brother or sister, and seeking to walk together.”
“True power is service.”
“The Pope, too, must serve all, especially the poor, the weak, the vulnerable.”
“You cannot have peace without justice.”
“Justice cries out for itself.”
“Do not be afraid of failure. Do not be afraid of falling. Be afraid only of staying still.”
“Even the worst sinner has the seed of holiness.”
“In every face, the face of Christ.”
“The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”
“We have to take care of our common home.”
“It is not a sentimental love, but a real one — like the love of a mother.”
“Walk with the people. Don't rule them.”
“The Church must be a field hospital after battle.”
“It is useless to ask a wounded person about the level of his cholesterol. You must heal his wounds.”
“Who am I to judge?”
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