Pope Francis (Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, Argentina)

“The greatest leaders in God’s tribe have been those men who have left room for doubt.”
– Pope Francis in Sobre el Cielo y la Tierra, 2010″

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“I don’t say that [the atheist’s] life is condemned [to Hell], because I am convinced I don’t have the right to pass judgment about the moral uprightness of that person.” (Sobre el Cielo y la Tierra, 2010)

“I don’t have all the answers. Nor do I have all the questions… . I confess that, in general, because of my temperament, the first response that occurs to me is the wrong one… . It’s curious, but that’s the way it is with me.” (El Jesuita, 2010)

“We have to avoid the spiritual sickness of a self-referential Church. It’s true that when we stray from its path, as can happen to any man or woman, accidents can happen. But if the Church stays enclosed within itself, self-referential, it will grow old. And between a Church that accidentally strays off its path and one that is sick because of self- reference, I have no doubt: I prefer the former.” (El Jesuita, 2010)

“The challenge of creative beings is to be suspicious of every discourse, thought, affirmation, or proposal that presents itself as “the only possible path.” There are always others. There is always another possibility.” (Annual Message to Educational Communities, 9 April 2003)

“The religious ministry sometimes calls attention to certain points of private or public life because it is the guide of its parishioners. What it does not have the right to do is force a [specific kind of] private life on anyone. If God, in His creation, ran the risk of making us free, who am I to meddle?” (Sobre el Cielo y la Tierra, 2010)

“Leadership is an art … that can be learned. It is also a science … that can be studied. It is a job…that demands dedication, effort, and tenacity. But above all, it is a mystery… that cannot always be explained with rational logic.” (Speech, Archdiocesan Social Pastoral Conference, 16 October 2010)

“He who has a little more power has to serve a little more.” (Homily, 7 August 2005)

All quotes from: “Pope Francis in His Own Words” by Julie Schwietert Collazo.

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What do you think of Pope Francis? He has an interesting way of being more liberally accepting of humanity, but more coherently adherent to following Jesus than one would think possible.

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