Pope Benedict XVI

“The fact that the church is convinced of not having the right to confer priestly ordination on women is now considered by some as irreconcilable with the European Constitution.”

“Today, I, too, wish to reaffirm that I intend to continue on the path toward improved relations and friendship with the Jewish people, following the decisive lead given by John Paul II.”

“It is absolutely important to make accessible the Gospel for all people and also understandable for Jewish people.”

“Prudence does not mean failing to accept responsibilities and postponing decisions; it means being committed to making joint decisions after pondering responsibly the road to be taken.”

“It is important to be in the 'we' of the Church, in the 'we' of the life of the Liturgy.”

“God does not become more divine when we push him away from us in a sheer, impenetrable voluntarism; rather, the truly divine God is the God who has revealed himself as logos and, as logos, h...”

“If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a force for good that survives through millennia; here is truly light...”

“A weak point of mine was maybe little resolve in governing and making decisions.”

“Every State has the primary duty to protect its own population from grave and sustained violations of human rights, as well as from the consequences of humanitarian crises, whether natural o...”

“The hatred and contempt for men, women and children that was manifested in the Shoah was a crime against God and against humanity.”

“The principle of tolerance and respect for freedom promoted by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council are today being manipulated and erroneously taken too far.”

“Our Christian conviction is that Christ is also the messiah of Israel. Certainly it is in the hands of God how and when the unification of Jews and Christians into the people of God will tak...”

“We let ourselves be molded and transformed by Christ and continually pass from the side of one who destroys to that of the one who saves.”

“To me, its seems necessary to rediscover - and the energy to do so exists - that even the political and economic spheres need moral responsibility, a responsibility that is born in man's hea...”

“The outpouring of Christ's blood is the source of the church's life.”

“It is very important for a priest, in the parish itself, to see how people trust in him and to experience, in addition to their trust, also their generosity in pardoning his weaknesses.”

“Faith is not a product of reflection, nor is it even an attempt to penetrate the depths of my own being.”

“The church is not a political power; it's not a party, but it's a moral power.”

“The prevailing mentality was that the Church must not be a Church of laws but, rather, a Church of love; she must not punish. Thus, the awareness that punishment can be an act of love ceased...”

“We have to pay attention to developing well, in the correct manner, the human aspects also in the professions, in respect of other persons, in being concerned for others, which is the best w...”