Michael Francis Burbidge

"You can't give to the people all that you wish to offer unless you're rooted in a deep spiritual life. I was on fire as a young priest, and wanted to conquer the world, which was good, because the priesthood is about service. However, I learned quickly that that enthusiasm must be rooted in a deep prayer life, or it can’t be sustained. It was a great lesson to learn early in my priesthood. I also learned I needed to stay in touch with my priest friends. It's important to have family and lay friends, but you also need contact with your brother priests, who understand from firsthand experience the challenges you face and can help you to become better."

"The stance against abortion is the pre-eminent priority. How could it not be? We have to get it right from the beginning. Our stance on life, that is our pre-eminent priority. We have to fight against this evil."

"The truth as given to us by God is the only path to freedom and to peace and to the joy that we are seeking. For us, to convey that truth compassionately is what we do to help others. We are not going to try to help and support others beginning with an error or falsehood. A falsehood cannot bring about peace and happiness in one’s life. While the answer to a problem might be complicated, we cannot begin with that which is untrue, that's not the loving thing to do."