Pope Francis has now been pontiff for 1,000 days. Here are some of his most memorable quotes.
1. POVERTY
Just three days after becoming Pope, he summarized the beginning of his pontificate during an interview with journalists:
March 16, 2013
'How I wish for a Church that is poor and for the poor!â?
2. MERCY
The next day, he revealed another central theme of his pontificate: a constant focus on the world of God's mercy.
March 17, 2013
'God understands us, he waits for us, he does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to him with a contrite heart.â?
3. MAKING A MESS
The World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro was Pope Francis' biggest challenge: it was his first great moment on the world stage, and expectations were high. And he ended up doing much more than anyone predicted.
July 25, 2013
'But I want there to be a mess in the diocese, I want you to go outside. I want the Church out in the street.â?
4. - JUDGEMENT
On the plane back from Brazil, during his first press conference, he was asked his opinion about gays in the Church. He called on people to not judge others.
July 28, 2013
'I think that when you encounter a person like this, you must make a distinction between the fact of a person being gay from the fact of being a lobby, because lobbies, all are not good. That is bad. If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, well who am I to judge them?â?
5.- PEACE
A year later, in addition to the wars in Syria and Ukraine, there arose a new crisis between Israelis and Palestinians. The Pope, visibly shocked, delivered the most painful message of peace that he had made so far.
July 27, 2015
'I think mostly of the children, of those who are deprived of the hope for a dignified life, of a future: dead children, wounded children, maimed children, orphaned children, children who have the remnants of war as toys, children who do not know how to smile. Stop, please! I ask you with all my heart. It is time to stop! Stop, please!â?
6.- ABUSE
Pope Francis followed the path created by Pope Benedict XVI in responding to cases of child abuse. In July 2014, he invited several victims to the Vatican to hear them and personally apologize. They also celebrated Mass together.
July 7, 2014
'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.â?
7.- FAMILY
Pope Francis has focused most of his weekly general audiences on rediscovering the value of family: not only in the Church but in society. He has said that the family is the first school, the first hospital, the first place where we learn what love is.
July 6, 2015
'The family is the nearest hospital, the first school for the young, the best home for the elderly. The family constitutes the best 'social capitalâ?. It cannot be replaced by other institutions. It needs to be helped and strengthened, lest we lose our proper sense of the services which society as a whole provides.â?
8.- GOOD VIBES
We could not miss it, because it is his most used phrase. Whenever he must say goodbye, Pope Francis asks people to pray for him. And if they're not believers...
July 9, 2015
'Send me good vibes. Thank you.â?
Francis, the people´s Pope from ROME REPORTS on Vimeo.
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