Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the head of the Catholic Church and the first pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere. Known for his humility and commitment to social issues, he chose his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Prior to becoming pope, he served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and was created a cardinal in 2001. Pope Francis has emphasized God’s mercy, advocated for the poor, and promoted interreligious dialogue. Notably, he has taken progressive stances, such as supporting women in key roles in the Church, advocating for LGBT rights, and condemning unbridled capitalism. In international diplomacy, he has criticized right-wing populism, facilitated diplomatic relations, and addressed global challenges, including climate change and migration. His papacy includes efforts towards Church reform, as seen in the Synod on Synodality convened in 2023.
Pope Francis Quotes
1. “We are all missionary disciples.”
— Pope Francis
2. “The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.”
— Pope Francis
3. “Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that god has given you! Do not be afraid to dream of great things!”
— Pope Francis
4. “Let us always pray for one another.”
— Pope Francis
5. “Listen to Jesus and follow him. That’s the message of the Transfiguration.”
— Pope Francis
6. “To be saints is not a privilege for a few, but a vocation for everyone.”
— Pope Francis
7. “The rosary is spiritual medicine.”
— Pope Francis
8. “Human dignity is the same for all human beings: when I trample on the dignity of another, I am trampling on my own.”
— Pope Francis
9. “To celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation means to be wrapped in a warm embrace.”
— Pope Francis
10. “You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.”
— Pope Francis
11. “The Earth is our environment to protect and the garden to tend to.”
— Pope Francis
12. “The Eucharist is essential for us: it is Christ who wishes to enter our lives and fill us with his grace.”
— Pope Francis
13. “Advent increases our hope, a hope which does not disappoint. The Lord never lets us down.”
— Pope Francis
14. “The life of Jesus is a life for others. It is a life of service.”
— Pope Francis
15. “Do not be afraid of what God asks of you! It is worth saying ‘yes’ to God. In him we find joy.”
— Pope Francis
16. “Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone, even when they do not love us.”
— Pope Francis
17. “To change the world we must be good to those who cannot repay us.”
— Pope Francis
18. “It is not possible to go backwards. We must go forward. Always forward.”
— Pope Francis
19. “Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey.”
— Pope Francis
20. “Don’t let anyone rob you of hope.”
— Pope Francis
21. “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.”
— Pope Francis
22. “The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable them to be a beacon of goodness, integrity and justice in our communities.”
— Pope Francis
23. “Holy Week is a privileged time when we are called to draw near to Jesus: friendship with him is shown in times of difficulty.”
— Pope Francis
24. “Holiness doesn’t mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith.”
— Pope Francis
25. “Each encounter with Jesus changes our life.”
— Pope Francis
26. “Find new ways to spread the word of God to every corner of the world.”
— Pope Francis
27. “Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.”
— Pope Francis
28. “Let us build our lives of faith on the rock who is Christ.”
— Pope Francis
29. “Take care of God’s creation. But above all, take care of people in need.”
— Pope Francis
30. “During Lent, let us find concrete ways to overcome our indifference.”
— Pope Francis
31. “Love is more powerful, love gives life, love makes hope blossom in the wilderness.”
— Pope Francis
32. “God never tires of forgiving us.”
— Pope Francis
33. “Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity.”
— Pope Francis
34. “Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.”
— Pope Francis
35. “Mercy is the true power that can save humanity and the world from sin and evil.”
— Pope Francis
36. “Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry.”
— Pope Francis
37. “Confession is the sacrament of the tenderness of God, his way of embracing us.”
— Pope Francis
38. “No elderly person should be like an “exile” in our families. The elderly are a treasure for our society.”
— Pope Francis
39. “Dear young people, Jesus wants to be your friend, and wants you to spread the joy of this friendship everywhere.”
— Pope Francis
40. “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.”
— Pope Francis
41. “Let us thank all those who teach in Catholic schools. Educating is an act of love; it is like giving life.”
— Pope Francis
42. “Racism today is the ultimate evil in the world.”
— Pope Francis
43. “Have the courage “to swim against the tide”. Have the courage to be happy.”
— Pope Francis
44. “Let us not be satisfied with a mediocre life.”
— Pope Francis
45. “This is Christian hope, that the future is in God’s hands.”
— Pope Francis
46. “Ask Jesus what he wants from you and be brave!”
— Pope Francis
47. “The Holy Spirit transforms and renews us, creates harmony and unity, and gives us courage and joy for mission.”
— Pope Francis
48. “None of us can think we are exempt from concerns for the poor and for social justice.”
— Pope Francis
49. “A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties.”
— Pope Francis
50. “Inequality is the root of social evil.”
— Pope Francis
51. “Our Mother Mary is full of beauty because she is full of grace.”
— Pope Francis
52. “God’s love is unbounded. It has no limits.”
— Pope Francis
53. “The Sacraments are the manifestation of the Father’s tenderness and love towards each of us.”
— Pope Francis
54. “Wretched are those who are vindictive and spiteful.”
— Pope Francis
55. “Seeking happiness in material things is a sure way of being unhappy.”
— Pope Francis
56. “The Rosary is a school of Prayer. The Rosary is a school of Faith.”
— Pope Francis
57. “Life is a journey. When we stop, things don’t go right.”
— Pope Francis
58. “Having faith does not mean having no difficulties, but having the strength to face them, knowing we are not alone.”
— Pope Francis
59. “Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey.”
— Pope Francis
60. “God reveals Himself through surprises.”
— Pope Francis
61. “One day we will see our animals again in eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God’s creatures.”
— Pope Francis
62. “Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.”
— Pope Francis
63. “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.”
— Pope Francis
64. “Christian witness is concrete: words without actions are empty.”
— Pope Francis
65. “Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. We must unite our efforts to free victims and stop this crime that’s become ever more aggressive, that threatens not just individuals, but the foundational values of society.”
— Pope Francis
66. “Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.”
— Pope Francis
67. “The Holy Spirit helps us to view others with fresh eyes, seeing them always as brothers and sisters in Jesus, to be respected and loved.”
— Pope Francis
68. “Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the certainty that God never abandons us.”
— Pope Francis
69. “A population that does not take care of the elderly and of children and the young has no future, because it abuses both its memory and its promise.”
— Pope Francis
70. “We proclaim the resurrection of Christ when his light illuminates the dark moments of our existence, and we are able share it with others.”
— Pope Francis
71. “Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are children, women and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more.”
— Pope Francis
72. “The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you.”
— Pope Francis
73. “I ask all people of goodwill to help build a culture of encounter, solidarity and peace.”
— Pope Francis
74. “May we try to listen and be silent in order to make space for the beauty of God.”
— Pope Francis
75. “An authentic faith always implies a deep desire to change the world.”
— Pope Francis
76. “I believe in God – not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being.”
— Pope Francis
77. “The Family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world, it is the leaven of society.”
— Pope Francis
78. “Every conflict is emblematic of the throwaway culture.”
— Pope Francis
79. “The Christian mission has only one focus: to change individual’s lives so they can change the world.”
— Pope Francis
80. “Work is fundamental to the dignity of the person. Work, to use an image, ‘anoints’ with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God who has worked and still works, who always acts.”
— Pope Francis
81. “Christ leads us to go out from ourselves more and more, to give ourselves and to serve others.”
— Pope Francis
82. “We are all sinners. But may the Lord not let us be hypocrites. Hypocrites don’t know the meaning of forgiveness, joy and the love of God.”
— Pope Francis
83. “Lent is a time of grace, a time to convert and live out our baptism fully.”
— Pope Francis
84. “To be a mother is a great treasure. Mothers, in their unconditional and sacrificial love for their children, are the antidote to individualism; they are the greatest enemies against war.”
— Pope Francis
85. “Dear young people, always be missionaries of the Gospel, every day and in every place.”
— Pope Francis
86. “There can be no renewal of our relationship with nature without a renewal of humanity itself.”
— Pope Francis
87. “Christian marriage is that sacrament which builds up the community of the Church and of society. Marriage has been inscribed in creation’s design by God, and, by his grace, countless Christian men and women have lived married life fully.”
— Pope Francis
88. “May the World Day of Consecrated Life be a timely occasion to rediscover the centrality of Jesus in our lives.”
— Pope Francis
89. “Peace is a daily commitment. It is a homemade peace.”
— Pope Francis
90. “Wars are always madness: all is lost in war, all is to be gained in peace.”
— Pope Francis
91. “It is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to peace.”
— Pope Francis
92. “In the poor and outcast we see Christ’s face; by loving and helping the poor, we love and serve Christ.”
— Pope Francis
93. “We all have the duty to do good.”
— Pope Francis
94. “The Lord put it clearly: you cannot serve two masters. You have to choose between God and money.”
— Pope Francis
95. “Proceed calmly in life.”
— Pope Francis
96. “Suffering is a call to conversion: it reminds us of our frailty and vulnerability.”
— Pope Francis
97. “Reject every form of corruption.”
— Pope Francis
98. “Things have a price and can be for sale. But people have a dignity that is priceless and worth far more than things.”
— Pope Francis
99. “Let us keep the flame of faith alive through prayer and the sacraments: let us make sure we do not forget God.”
— Pope Francis
100. “All it takes is one good person to restore hope.”
— Pope Francis
101. “Dear young people, the Church expects great things of you and your generosity. Don’t be afraid to aim high.”
— Pope Francis
102. “Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.”
— Pope Francis
103. “Profound peace, spiritual consolation, love of God and love of all things in God – this is the sign that you are on this right path.”
— Pope Francis
104. “It is a mortal sin to discard the elderly.”
— Pope Francis
105. “Do not be content to live a mediocre Christian life: walk with determination along the path of holiness.”
— Pope Francis
106. “Let us pray for all good and faithful priests who dedicate themselves to their people with generosity and unknown sacrifices.”
— Pope Francis
107. “Division within a Christian community is a very grave sin; it is the work of the devil.”
— Pope Francis
108. “The Cross is the Word through which God has responded to evil in the world.”
— Pope Francis
109. “Too often we participate in the globalization of indifference. May we strive instead to live global solidarity.”
— Pope Francis
110. “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
111. “Let yourselves be led by the Holy Spirit, with freedom and, please, do not cage the Holy Spirit.”
— Pope Francis
112. “There is no sin that God cannot pardon. All we need to do is ask for forgiveness.”
— Pope Francis
113. “Violence and war lead only to death…”
— Pope Francis
114. “There is so much indifference in the face of suffering. May we overcome indifference with concrete acts of charity.”
— Pope Francis
115. “Lord, teach us to step outside ourselves. Teach us to go out into the streets and manifest your love.”
— Pope Francis
116. “We are impatient, anxious to see the whole picture, but God lets us see things slowly, quietly.”
— Pope Francis
117. “Please do not lose the ability to dream.”
— Pope Francis
118. “Gratitude is a flower that blooms in noble souls.”
— Pope Francis
119. “The book of Genesis tells us that God created man and woman entrusting them with the task of filling the earth and subduing it, which does not mean exploiting it, but nurturing and protecting it, caring for it through their work.”
— Pope Francis
120. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept His offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.”
— Pope Francis
121. “Agape, the love of each one of us for the other, from the closest to the furthest, is in fact the only way that Jesus has given us to find the way of salvation and of the Beatitudes.”
— Pope Francis
122. “Don’t be afraid to ask God for forgiveness. He never tires of forgiving us. God is pure mercy.”
— Pope Francis
123. “No one can grow if he does not accept his smallness.”
— Pope Francis
124. “Every Christian can witness to God in the workplace, not only with words, but above all with an honest life.”
— Pope Francis
125. “Be men and women with others and for others, real champions in the service of others.”
— Pope Francis
126. “A simple lifestyle is good for us, helping us to better share with those in need.”
— Pope Francis
127. “Humility saves man: pride makes him lose his way.”
— Pope Francis
128. “Don’t be afraid to go to the Sacrament of Confession, where you will meet Jesus who forgives you.”
— Pope Francis
129. “Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor.”
— Pope Francis
130. “Rest is so necessary for the health of our minds and bodies, and often so difficult to achieve due to the many demands placed on us. But rest is also essential for our spiritual health, so that we can hear God’s voice and understand what he asks of us.”
— Pope Francis
131. “The right to life is the first among human rights.”
— Pope Francis
132. “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
133. “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
134. “When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history.”
— Pope Francis
135. “By saying “blessed are those who mourn”, Jesus does not intend to declare an unfortunate and burdensome condition in life to be happy. Suffering is not a value in itself, but a reality that Jesus teaches us to live with the correct attitude.”
— Pope Francis
136. “Jesus is more than a friend. He is a teacher of truth and life who shows us the way that leads to happiness.”
— Pope Francis
137. “With God, nothing is lost; but without him, everything is lost.”
— Pope Francis
138. “Let us never lose hope! God loves us always, even with our mistakes and sins.”
— Pope Francis
139. “Obeying God is listening to God, having an open heart to follow the path that God points out to us.”
— Pope Francis
140. “Forgiveness is not a result of our efforts, but is a gift. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit who showers us with mercy and grace that pours forth unceasingly from the open heart of Christ crucified and risen.”
— Pope Francis
141. “Prayer, humility, and charity toward all are essential in the Christian life: they are the way to holiness.”
— Pope Francis
142. “The Saints were not superhuman. They were people who loved God in their hearts, and who shared this joy with others.”
— Pope Francis
143. “Dear young people, you have many plans and dreams for the future. But, is Christ at the center of each of your plans and dreams?”
— Pope Francis
144. “Dear young people, put your talents at the service of the Gospel, with creativity and boundless charity.”
— Pope Francis
145. “When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so. He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.”
— Pope Francis
146. “We cannot trust in our own strength, but only in Jesus and in his mercy.”
— Pope Francis
147. “To be friends with God means to pray with simplicity, like children talking to their parents.”
— Pope Francis
148. “The border between good and evil passes not outside of us but within us.”
— Pope Francis
149. “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
150. “It is not enough to say we are Christians. We must live the faith, not only with our words, but with our actions.”
— Pope Francis
151. “The cross of Christ, embraced with love, never brings sadness with it, but joy, the joy of being saved and of doing a little of what he did on the day of his death.”
— Pope Francis
152. “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
153. “The process of healing also needs to include the pursuit of truth, not for the sake of opening old wounds, but rather as a necessary means of promoting justice, healing and unity.”
— Pope Francis
154. “Lord, help us to live the virtue of generosity, to love without limits.”
— Pope Francis
155. “Peace is the language we must speak.”
— Pope Francis
156. “We don’t need youth museums. But we do need holy young people.”
— Pope Francis
157. “Gossip can also kill, because it kills the reputation of the person! It is so terrible to gossip! At first it may seem like a nice thing, even amusing, like enjoying a candy. But in the end, it fills the heart with bitterness, and even poisons us.”
— Pope Francis
158. “I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars. You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.”
— Pope Francis
159. “Fraternal love is the nearest testimony that we can give that Jesus is alive among us.”
— Pope Francis
160. “Jesus is God but he humbled himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother.”
— Pope Francis
161. “The secret of Christian living is love. Only love fills the empty spaces caused by evil.”
— Pope Francis
162. “Please waste time just playing with your kids!”
— Pope Francis
163. “Go, do not be afraid and serve.”
— Pope Francis
164. “All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace.”
— Pope Francis
165. “If money and material things become the center of our lives, they seize us and make us slaves.”
— Pope Francis
166. “Say no to an ephemeral, superficial and throwaway culture, a culture that assumes that you are incapable of taking on responsibility and facing the great challenges of life!”
— Pope Francis
167. “The parish is the presence of the Church in any given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration.”
— Pope Francis
168. “Holy Week is a good occasion to go to confession and to take up the right path again.”
— Pope Francis
169. “An authentic faith-which is never comfortable or completely personal-always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.”
— Pope Francis
170. “Where there is truth, there is also light, but don’t confuse light with the flash.”
— Pope Francis
171. “Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason.”
— Pope Francis
172. “Lent is a favorable time for letting Christ serve us so that we in turn may become more like Him.”
— Pope Francis
173. “My people are poor and I am one of them.”
— Pope Francis
174. “Whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.”
— Pope Francis
175. “To live charitably means not looking out for our own interests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us.”
— Pope Francis
176. “Let’s return to our first love, in order to receive the fire which Jesus has kindled in the world and to bring that fire to all people, to the very ends of the earth.”
— Pope Francis
177. “I believe in the old warrior’s credo that “to the victor go the spoils.””
— Pope Francis
178. “The Christian who does not feel that the Virgin Mary is his or her mother is an orphan.”
— Pope Francis
179. “How does St. Joseph exercise his role as protector? Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand.”
— Pope Francis
180. “The joy of the Gospel is for all people: no one can be excluded.”
— Pope Francis
181. “Your sins are great? Just tell the Lord: Forgive me, help me to get up again, change my heart!”
— Pope Francis
182. “If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us.”
— Pope Francis
183. “Gay adoption is discrimination against children.”
— Pope Francis
184. “The goods of the earth are meant for everyone.”
— Pope Francis
185. “The fruits of this profound union with Jesus are marvelous: our whole being is transformed by the grace of the Holy Spirit: soul, intelligence, will, affections and even the body, because we are united in body and spirit.”
— Pope Francis
186. “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
187. “The challenge of life is to learn how to love.”
— Pope Francis
188. “The whole of salvation history is the story of God looking for us: he offers us love and welcomes us with tenderness.”
— Pope Francis
189. “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
190. “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.”
— Pope Francis
191. “The Sacraments are Jesus Christ’s presence in us. So it is important for us to go to Confession and receive Holy Communion.”
— Pope Francis
192. “Trade unions have been an essential force for social change, without which a semblance of a decent and humane society is impossible under capitalism.”
— Pope Francis
193. “Life is a precious gift, but we realize this only when we give it to others.”
— Pope Francis
194. “These are roots of all evil, hatred and greed, for money, for the construction and for the sale of weapons. This should make us all think, who is behind it all?”
— Pope Francis
195. “Love makes us similar, it creates equality, it breaks down walls and eliminates distances. God did this with us.”
— Pope Francis
196. “I want to say one word to you and this word is “Joy”. Wherever there are consecrated people, seminarians, men and women religious, young people, there is joy, there is always joy!”
— Pope Francis
197. “Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from conception to natural death.”
— Pope Francis
198. “God’s goodness is stronger than any evil!”
— Pope Francis
199. “Today is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Let us work and pray.”
— Pope Francis
200. “When we are generous in welcoming people and sharing something with them-some food, a place in our homes, our time-not only do we no longer remain poor: we are enriched.”
— Pope Francis
