Wisdom of Pope Francis: Key quotes that define his Papacy

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 (Image: AP)

After a prolonged illness, Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. His death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Francis was known for his humble nature, empathy for the poor and was an ardent supporter of environment conservation. The legacy of Pope Francis is reflected in the key quotes he delivered on numerous occasions.
Humility:
The Pope’s modesty was reflected in his simple words during a homily at Casa Santa Marta on January 23, 2015: “Your sins are great? Just tell the Lord: Forgive me, help me to get up again, change my heart!’”
The poor:
Pope Francis used to call refugees as ‘nobles of the street’. Three days after his election in March 2013, he said, “How I would like a poor church for the poor” setting the tone for his papacy.
Tolerance:
The Pope has consistently taken an inclusive approach toward the LGBTQ community. Speaking to reporters on a flight back from Brazil on July 29, 2013, when asked about his views on LGBTQ individuals, he said, “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge? We shouldn’t marginalize people for this. They must be integrated into society.”
Inequality:
Pope Francis has consistently spoken against inequality, viewing it as the root cause of social and economic problems. In the Apostolic Exhortation, a magisterial document written by him, he asserted, “The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose”.
Environment:
Pope Francis asserted on environment conservation viewing it as the matter to be addressed quickly. A prominent quote from his June 2015 encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si says, “The Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth”.
Developing world:
Pope Francis in his encyclical, Laudato Si, emphasizes that despite possessing rich and relatively unpolluted land, the poor in the south face obstacles in meeting their vital needs since they have no control over their resources. He quoted, “The land of the southern poor is rich and mostly unpolluted, yet access to ownership of goods and resources for meeting vital needs is inhibited by a system of commercial relations and ownership which is structurally perverse.”
Migrants:
Speaking out against the world’s indifference to the plight of migrants, Pope Francis, during his visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa in July 2013, said: “In this world of globalisation we have fallen into a globalisation of indifference. We are accustomed to the suffering of others, it doesn’t concern us, it’s none of our business.”
Old Europe:
During his visit to the European Parliament in November 2014, Pope addressed, “We encounter a general impression of weariness and ageing, of a Europe which is now a ‘grandmother’, no longer fertile and vibrant”.
Church reform:
During his Christmas address to the Roman Curia (Vatican’s administrative body), the Pope criticized the Vatican bureaucracy stating, “A Curia that is not self-critical, that does not stay up-to-date, that does not seek to better itself, is an ailing body… It is the sickness of the rich fool who thinks he will live for all eternity.”
Donald Trump:
In February 2016, after his return from Mexico, the pontiff said, “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian,” when asked about the then-US presidential hopeful’s anti-immigration stance.
After Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, Francis condemned the president’s migrant deportation plans as a “calamity” and a “major crisis”.
Mercy:
During the commemoration of the Jubilee year of Mercy in November 2016,the Pope allowed all priests to forgive the sin of abortion. He said, “There is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father.”
Common touch:
In an episode of a Catholic TV2000 television programme aired in October 2017, he said, “When I pray, sometimes I fall asleep”. Every Sunday after leading the Angelus prayer, he wished the crowd: “Buon pranzo”, i.e., have a good lunch.
Vaccines:
During the covid pandemic, Pope Francis urged people to get the coronavirus vaccine in early 2021, saying those who opposed it were in “suicidal denial”.
The quotes cited by Pope Francis enshrines us with his words of wisdom. These powerful quotes do not only reflect the essence of his papacy but also offer his legacy in compassion, humility, and moral clarity.