Pope Benedict Quotations

Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God. And there the Spirit is, there is the Church and all grace.

Wake up, O men and women of the third millennium!

Whenever totalitarian ideology crushes man underfoot, all humanity is seriously threatened.

We hope you will have a peaceful time.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit illuminates, inspires and guides the work of the synod and pushes us to charity, agreement and the service of the truth.

Lent is, in the end, through alms giving, the occasion for sincere sharing of gifts received with one's brothers and for attention to the needs of the poorest and abandoned ones.

Leprosy is a symptom of a more serious and vaster ill, which is poverty. For this reason, following in the wake of my predecessors, I renew the appeal to leaders of nations so that they will unite their efforts to overcome the grave imbalances that still penalize a large part of humanity.

No pope ever left us as many texts as he did; no pope in the past was able to visit all the world like he did and to speak directly to men of all continents. But in the end, he was struck by the path of suffering and silence.

On March 24 I will hold a consistory, for which I will nominate the new members of the College of Cardinals.

I am touched by this important appeal and I invite you to join it for peace in that troubled nation.

If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God's law. Consequently, they cannot receive Holy Communion as long as this situation persists. This norm is not at all a punishment or a discrimination against the divorced and remarried, but rather expresses an objective situation that of itself renders impossible the reception of Holy Communion: '. . . If these people were admitted to the Eucharist, the faithful would be led into error and confusion regarding the Church's teaching about the indissolubility of marriage'.

We too are called to be attentive to the needs of our suffering brothers and sisters as part of our Lenten observance.

Today I have the joy of presiding for the first time over a canonization rite.

He continues to communicate to us his love for God and his love for humanity.

He continues to be present in our minds and in our hearts.

Joy is the true gift of Christmas, not expensive gifts that cost time and money, but joy.

I thank Divine Providence for the breath of a new spirit that this movement brought to the events of contemporary Europe. May God bless all those who are committed to promoting social justice and the good of workers.

It is just one year since his pontificate entered its final phase, full of suffering and yet triumphant and truly paschal.

Limbo has never been a definitive truth of the faith. Personally, I would let it drop, since it has always been only a theological hypothesis.

John Paul II died as he always lived, animated by the indomitable courage of faith, abandoning himself to God and entrusting himself to holy Mary.

John Paul died as he lived, moved by an indomitable courage of faith.

We have all been touched by the case of little Tommaso. Let us pray for him and all victims of violence.

You are going to be a great artist.

We can be sure our beloved pope is standing today at the window of the father's house, that he sees us and blesses us.

tireless witness of the Gospel of peace and reconciliation.

Those who were able to get close to him could almost touch with their hand his sound and solid faith.

True love does not eliminate legitimate differences, but harmonizes them in a superior unity, which is not imposed from the outside, but gives shape to the whole from inside.

We wish to pray for peace in the Holy Land.

Either we make him a simple devout expression, or he is denied everything, he is banished from public life, thus losing all meaning.

Concerning the international crises linked to nuclear power, may an honorable solution be found for all parties, through serious and honest negotiations.

Contemporary societies, while gifted with many means, do not always manage to facilitate the mission of parents, both on the level of spiritual and moral motivation and on that of the practical conditions of life.

The very same pastoral sensibility in the face of real situations must end up safeguarding the truth and applying the necessary rules to safeguard it.

Thank you for your service of 500 years!

On this night, when we look toward Bethlehem, let us pray in a special way for the birthplace of our Redeemer and for the men and women who live and suffer there.

The modern age is often seen as an awakening of reason from its slumbers, humanity's enlightenment after an age of darkness.

You should bring joy, not expensive gifts that cost time and money.

This great pope has left us an immense heritage. John Paul II was living these very hours, in this very room, the last stage of his pilgrimage on earth, a pilgrimage of faith, love and hope, which left a profound mark on the history of the Church and of humanity.

This all requires further agreements, so in that sense these are preliminary discussions. But it seems if God permits, in June of next year I will be able to come to Poland.

It is very important that the ruling come in a reasonable amount of time.

Do not fear; put your trust in him. The life-giving power of his light is an incentive for building a new world order based on just ethical and economic relationships.

The family has always been at the center of attention of my venerable predecessors, especially John Paul II. He was convinced, and reiterated it many times, that a crisis within the family comes at the grave detriment of our civilization.

In fact, they come from every part of the world and carry out diverse duties in service to the people of God.

In Iraq, may peace finally prevail over the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim victims.

In his spirituality and in his tireless ministry, the presence of Mary as mother and queen of the church was made manifest to the eyes of all.

I have to announce that on March 24 I will hold a consistory, for which I will nominate the new members of the College of Cardinals.

In today's world, God is absent. People need anesthesia to live. They live in a dark world.

In the light of this common mission, we cannot not denounce and combat with decisiveness the hate and incomprehension, the injustices and the violence that continue to sow worry in the soul of men and women of good will.

In the mirror of the cross we have seen all the suffering of humanity today. We saw the suffering of abandoned, abused children ... threats against families, the division in the world in the pride of the rich and the misery of all those who suffer hunger and thirst.

How could one imagine the government of the church without this contribution? It is a determining factor without which the church could not survive.

I am not alone. I do not have to carry alone what in truth I could never carry alone.

for the great gift of these heroic witnesses.

The Holy Father, with his words and his works, has given us great things; but no less important is the lesson he gave us from the chair of suffering and silence.

The entire city of Rome has gathered symbolically for this moving moment of reflection and prayer.

A good confession before Easter remains an obligation that should be fully valued and gives us the opportunity to start anew.

And it was from this desire to serve the church in the most useful and efficient way that the vow of special obedience to the pope was born.

The dove wants to stay with the pope but it will find its freedom.

The loving eyes of God look on the human being, considered full and complete at its beginning.