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.
While all too many people live in dire poverty, others are caught up in materialism and lifestyles which are destructive of family life and the most basic demands of Christian morality.
Be present to those who, living in the midst of a society burdened by poverty and corruption, are broken in spirit, tempted to give up, to leave school and to live on the streets.
Marriage now tends to be viewed as a form of mere emotional satisfaction that can be constructed in any way or modified at will. But the indispensible contribution of marriage to society transcends the feelings and momentary needs of the couple.
Created half to rise, and half to fall; Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled; The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!
No one listens willingly to someone who speaks to them from a position of self-righteousness and judgment. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus reserves his harshest words for those who ignore their own weakness in order to lord it over others.
Such self-denial ‘may appear demanding,’ but it will allow you, so to speak, to be and to breathe within the heart of the church.
Jesus spoke in such a way that the people loved the things of God. That’s why they followed him.
To understand one another, and to grow in charity and truth, we need to pause, to accept and listen to one another. In this way we already begin to experience unity. Unity grows along the way, it never stands still. Unity happens when we walk together.
The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instils in us the courage to look to the future with hope.
God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas, it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it.
Let us always pray for one another.
Trade unions have been an essential force for social change, without which a semblance of a decent and humane society is impossible under capitalism.
Babies cry, make noise, go here and there. But it annoys me when a baby cries in church and there are those who say he needs to go out. The cry of a baby is God’s voice: never drive them away from the church!
It is important to integrate immigrants into society and to welcome them in the church community.
Being a Christian is not just about following commandments: it is about letting Christ take possession of our lives and transform them.
The world is polarized. The middle class becomes smaller. The polarization makes the difference between rich and the poor big. This is true.
Poverty is part of the natural condition and that is bad enough. But my task is to prevent the aggravation of this condition.
God chooses the Pope and God also made men and women different.
There is nothing the Church can do except try to educate people to become good consumers.
I’m the type of human who is interested most in the truth. God gave me a healthy love for the truth.