Pope Francis (December 17, 1936-April 21, 2025) was chosen is the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he worked briefly as a chemical technician before entering seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1969.
From 1973 to 1979 he was Argentina's Provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, and in 1998, he became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. In 2001, he was made a Cardinal before being named the first Pope from the Americas and the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere.
Pope Francis stated in Assisi, Italy, October 4, 2013:
<Being a Christian means having a living relationship with the person of Jesus; it means putting on Christ, being conformed to him.> 1936PF001.
<The cross does not speak to us about defeat and failure; paradoxically, it speaks to us about a death which is life, a death which gives life, for it speaks to us of love, the love of God incarnate, a love which does not die, but triumphs over evil and death. When we let the crucified Jesus gaze upon us, we are re-created, we become 'a new creation.' Everything else starts with this: the experience of transforming grace, the experience of being loved for no merits of our own, in spite of our being sinners.> 1936PF002
<The worldly spirit kills; it kills people; it kills the Church.> 1936PF003
<May hatred yield to love, injury to pardon, and discord to unity. Let us listen to the cry of all those who are weeping, who are suffering and who are dying because of violence, terrorism or war, in the Holy Land…in Syria, throughout the Middle East and everywhere in the world.> 1936PF004
Pope Francis stated in a homily, October 11, 2013:
<We must always be on guard against deceit, against the seduction of evil…There are some priests who, when they read this Gospel passage, this and others, say: ‘But, Jesus healed a person with a mental illness.’… It is true that at that time, they could confuse epilepsy with demonic possession; but it is also true that there was the devil! And we do not have the right to simplify the matter. No!...
The presence of the devil is on the first page of the Bible, and the Bible ends as well with the presence of the devil, with the victory of God over the devil…We should not be naïve…On this point, there are no nuances. There is a battle and a battle where salvation is at play, eternal salvation; eternal salvation…Do I guard myself, my heart, my feelings, my thoughts? Do I guard the treasure of grace? Do I guard the presence of the Holy Spirit in me? Or do I let go, feeling secure, believing that all is going well?...If you do not guard yourself, he who is stronger than you will come…But if someone stronger comes and overcomes, he takes away the weapons in which one trusted, and he shall divide the spoil…
Vigilance…Do not confuse the truth!...Jesus fights the devil: first criterion. Second criterion: he who is not with Jesus is against Jesus. There are no attitudes in the middle. Third criterion: vigilance over our hearts because the devil is astute. He is never cast out forever. It will only be so on the last day…
(When an impure spirit leaves a man)…it wanders in deserted places, and seeking rest and finding none, says: ‘I will return to my house, from which I left’… (and finding it) swept clean and adorned… (it) takes another seven spirits worse than he, who come and make their homes,..The last state of man becomes worse than the first…
Vigilance, because his strategy is this: ‘You became Christian. Advance in your faith. I will leave you. I will leave you tranquil. But then when you are used to not being so watchful and you feel secure, I will come back.’… The Gospel today begins with the devil being cast out and ends with the devil coming back! These are not lies, it is the Word of the Lord!...
Let us ask the Lord for the grace to take these things seriously. He came to fight for our salvation. He won against the devil! Please, let us not do business with the devil! He seeks to return home, to take possession of us… Do not relativize; be vigilant! And always with Jesus!> 1936PF005
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
1936PF001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Pope Francis, October 4, 2013, Assisi, Italy. The Mirror of Perfection, 124: FF, 1824. Urbi et Orbi Communications, PO Box 57, New Hope, KY 40052-0057. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/papal_mass_draws_thousands_in_as sisi/en1-734297 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/pope_in_assisi:_christians_must_stri p_themselves_of_worldliness/en1-734206
1936PF002. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Pope Francis, October 4, 2013, Assisi, Italy. The Mirror of Perfection, 124: FF, 1824. Urbi et Orbi Communications, PO Box 57, New Hope, KY 40052-0057. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/papal_mass_draws_thousands_in_as sisi/en1-734297 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/pope_in_assisi:_christians_must_stri p_themselves_of_worldliness/en1-734206
1936PF003. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Pope Francis, October 4, 2013, Assisi, Italy. The Mirror of Perfection, 124: FF, 1824. Urbi et Orbi Communications, PO Box 57, New Hope, KY 40052-0057. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/papal_mass_draws_thousands_in_as sisi/en1-734297 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/pope_in_assisi:_christians_must_stri p_themselves_of_worldliness/en1-734206
1936PF004. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Pope Francis, October 4, 2013, Assisi, Italy. The Mirror of Perfection, 124: FF, 1824. Urbi et Orbi Communications, PO Box 57, New Hope, KY 40052-0057. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/papal_mass_draws_thousands_in_as sisi/en1-734297 http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/10/04/pope_in_assisi:_christians_must_stri p_themselves_of_worldliness/en1-734206
1936PF005. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Pope Francis, October 11, 2013, Mass homily, 10:14am, ‘Christians must guard against slyness of the devil,’ Catholic News Agency (CNA), EWTN News. http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-christians-must-guard-against-slyness-of-the-devil/