Pope Francis had a meaningful year.
He spread goodwill across the world, tweeted inspiration from his handle @Pontifex, remarked on social issues like gay marriage and euthanasia and cast a critical eye onto the Catholic church itself.
(Photo: Giampiero Sposito, Reuters)
Take a look at memorable quotes from his 2014:
1. Let no one use God as a shield while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression, and, May no one use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman. – During his September visit to Albania.
2. All this gravely offends God and humanity. Hatred is not to be carried in the name of God, and, War is not to be waged in the name of God. – In response to religious minorities being persecuted in Iraq and driven out by the Islamic State in August.
3. This is important, for without these attitudes, without these contributions of the woman, the human vocation would not be realized. – To an Italian women’s organization in January. In the speech, he expressed his desire for women to become more involved in the church, also praising their gifts of delicacy, including a special sensitivity and tenderness.
4. 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. – At the Vatican in October, addressing the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on evolution and creationism.
5. God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life. Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve. – On evolution and creationism.
6. The ‘Big Bang,’ that today is considered to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the creative intervention of God, on the contrary it requires it. – On evolution and creationism.
7. As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations against human dignity and human rights. As such, any violence which seeks religious justification warrants the strongest condemnation because the omnipotent is the God of life and peace. – Spoken in Turkey in November to Mehmet Gormez, Turkey’s top cleric and other religious officials gathered at the government-run Religious Affairs Directorate.
8. This is playing with life. Beware, because this is a sin against the creator. – Denouncing euthanasia as false sense of compassion in November. The comments came on the heels of Brittany Maynard’s death, but he did not address her death specifically.
9. It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one’s back. … Watch out against the terrorism of gossip! – Casting a critical attack on the Vatican bureaucracy in December, including its spiritual Alzheimer’s.
10. This generation, and many others, have been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil… But the devil exists and we must fight against him. – Speaking at Mass on Halloween.
11. God is not afraid of new things. – Remarks in October that took on added meaning as the bishops ended a two-week conference by rejecting landmark wording that would soften the church’s stance toward homosexuality and divorce.
12. Upon entering Chinese airspace, I extend best wishes to your excellency and your fellow citizens, and I invoke the divine blessings of peace and well-being upon the nation. – Sent telegram to China while flying over airspace. Francis’ flight itself marks a minor breakthrough, as China refused to allow St. John Paul II’s plane to cross its airspace en route to Seoul in 1989.
13. Love is the measure of faith. – Tweeted on Nov. 27.
14. To change the world we must be good to those who cannot repay us. – Tweeted on Oct. 18.
15. I wish everyone a wonderful World Cup, played in a spirit of true fraternity. – Tweeted on June 12 at the beginning of the World Cup.
16. A Europe which is no longer open to the transcendent dimension of life is a Europe which risks slowly losing its own soul… We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery! – Speaking about immigration in November to the European Parliament in a speech that ended in a standing ovation.
17. Those who go down the evil path, as the Mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated. – Condemning the Mafia while traveling to southern Italy to comfort the family of a 3-year-old boy gunned down in a January shootout. The Pope declared that all mobsters are automatically excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.
18. With shame for the fact that man made himself the owner of evil; with shame that man made himself into God and sacrificed his brothers. Never again!! Never again!! Francis. 5.26.2014. – Written in the guestbook at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel in May.
19. We now live in a culture of the temporary, in which more and more people are simply giving up on marriage as a public commitment. – Confirming his 2015 trip to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.
20. Never condemn. If you feel like condemning, condemn yourself, there’s got to be something there, huh? – During Mass on December 15.
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