Roman Catholic Archbishops

"In these exciting times, when so formidable an array is made against the Church, I deem it particularly necessary to inculcate these divine maxims. It might appear that a combination, like that which has just been formed, calls for some corresponding effort. The imputations cast upon us of holding sanguinary principles, might prompt us to deal in recrimination. But God forbid that we should trust in the arm of flesh, and use weapons like those employed against us! Whatever may come, let us be true to the divine principles of our Holy Faith, and the ultimate triumph of Religion is secure."

"Oceania needs saints. We need to recognize and listen to the "Saints" in our midst."

"Youths, it would seem, (a majority of them) have not let themselves be drawn by the theanthropic values of the Gospel. The most open path is directed towards goodness as welcome, comprehension and empathy. Goodness will be for them (as for many others) an efficacious sign to conquer them for the noble causes of today's society."

"Plessis, by his firm yet deferential attitude, his prudence and moderation, and his loyalty to the Crown, removed all opposition. He wisely resisted every offer of temporal betterment to maintain the fulness of his spiritual jurisdiction."

"His fame as a preacher was widespread, and his manner most winning."

"He proved himself an ardent champion of the rights of the Roman catholic population."

"After meritorious apostolic labours in his new field of action, as no titular could be found for his old diocese of Victoria, he generously volunteered to return thither, with a view to following up his work in Alaska. This act of disinterestedness deeply touched Leo XIII, and on 2 April, 1885, Archbishop Seghers again took possession of his former see. Whites and Indians then received the benefit of his ministrations"

"Today, the Church is a minority. Only few know who Christ is and how to find Him. Even the Church is influenced by the dominating mentality at the risk of reducing the Gospel to a repetition of words or a moral appeal, which, however, don't give the necessary answers to a world, living in confusion. Christian faith is essentially an encounter with the living Christ. The Church is invited to meet Him with the joy of the beginning."

"The stringency of these regulations at once aroused opposition; yet the first elections held in conclave proved that the principle was right."

"Passing anti-life policies is not good for the nation. We Bishops are united on this position and currently we do not see room for mediation."

"Difficulties continued to disturb the good understanding between the viceroys and the archbishops, although royal cédulas had clearly fixed the jurisdiction to which either of them was entitled, their tenor being essentially favorable to the viceroys. In later years under the rule of Mancera an outbreak of these old hostilities was prevented merely by the duke's diplomacy, and the modesty and genuine Christian spirit of the then archbishop Alonso de Cuevas."

"The Christian godfather must guarantee the child's education and upbringing in the faith and how can he do that if his life is in contradiction of the gospel, if it is violent and totally ruled by the god money. There is a total incompatibility here and we've got to be clear about that."

"Liturgy is very formative of people. Good liturgy can do far more than a talk because you're appealing to the senses."

"Joachim cannot be reduced to that of an outstanding scholar or researcher, but to his adherence to the faith, understood and expressed ascetically."

"“In most cultures in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, dancing groups in traditional costume is used in the most important celebrations of the people’s life. These dances can also express the joy, happiness and unity of the people during Mass. There is no better way to build Christian community through the Holy Eucharist, the center of the Church.”"

"The family is the most efficient school of humanity of Christian life, transmitting human and Christian values in its own peculiar manner, based on example and testimony, on experience and daily life."

"The preservation of the fragments of Greek and Roman classics now extant is largely due to the monasteries, which for twelve centuries from the fall of the Western Empire were the custodians, not only of sacred codices but also of manuscripts of the ancient Greek philosophers and the Latin rhetoricians. A medieval monastery was often rich in archives."

"Singing a hymn is not like singing a popular piece of music. In church music, singing and making music is a service: both the collective singing and the solo singing are an integral part of the liturgical celebration, intended to help lift the souls of the faithful to God, and the singers themselves are called to a genuine love of God and a fervent life of faith. The goal is to glorify God by sanctifying the liturgical community, not to showcase individual talents."

"Easter divides the history of salvation into two parts. The part we are in is the part with the radiant future, in a new life given by the risen Christ, which helps us to walk serenely in our faith and to go firmly and courageously to preach the Easter Gospel. Easter is not an event for us to celebrate as a memory, but a life-changing moment of grace that lifts us out of the sorrows and vices of the past and into a new life."

"Indonesian missionaries are characterised by their simplicity and readiness to work in remote places. Their experience of living together with other religions, especially with Muslims, is helpful for other local Churches."

"Old and new mafia forces try to pollute popular faith with malignant weeds, passing off a pseudo religion as devout."

"Death must be accepted but never provoked."

"We as Christians and as Catholics should not be told by anyone to violate our conscience, that's between us and God."

"We must therefore fulfill the obligation of being aware of a world which continues to ignore with a guilty conscience the Law of God, and which is based on human laws imposed by those who hold the power of economic strength. It is up to the latter to give up these interests."

"The faithful have the right to full communion with the Church of Christ. Without this protection offered to the pastors against divisions and without the protection offered to the faithful against negligent Pastors, the Pope would go against his basic duty of confirming his brethren."

"Demographic politics, with the ways of a hew ideology and what is called "demographic colonialism", specialize in poor regions and countries. These are not the product of something spontaneous. They are provoked, concerted and coordinated for powerful institutions working with a particular view."

"We must accept that South and North Korea are one people and that it is God's will that we live as one people. We should pray that God's will be done and try to do all we can."

"We must take care of this seed; we must be a good soil, which doesn't allow too many thorns to grow, thorns of division and other things that can stifle this seed that is growing. There must be mutual care between Priests and the faithful."

"I can't imagine being as happy as I have been as a priest. Not that there have not been struggles and ups and downs — but there is in every vocation! Marriage has ups and downs; religious life also! But I cannot imagine finding the same joy that I have in my priesthood and as bishop that I would have had I not chosen the vocation God created me for."

"The danger denounced by the Latin American bishops is that of the prevailing of an ideology that is not Latin American but which can have a certain contingent success, as sometimes happens with the democratic majorities that are here today and gone tomorrow. A danger arising out of anthropological confusion and out of the juridical positivism reigning in some countries, whereby the law, as law, is always good. But this is not a certain criterion, history is full of examples that run counter."

"We must ask the Lord for forgiveness for the sins against creation and that, in his great love, help us to carry forward with all our strength this common, vital and inalienable commitment. It is necessary to intervene to heal the serious wounds of nature. Our Country is also seriously affected by this problem, as the indigenous brothers and sisters who are at the gates of the Cathedral and those who are still on the way testify."

"Faith in God and the rootedness of our culture in its Christian and its Judeo-Christian heritage; faith in God is a huge asset, it's not a problem and what we must not do is begin to think that this extremism is the product of religious faith; it's a distortion, it's a corruption."

"If we work together, we see God in each other; and that's where we begin."

"I think the interreligious situation in Korea is very unique in the world. We cannot witness often in other countries for leaders of different religions to make this kind of concrete effort for harmony and unity. It was a good opportunity for us to grow understanding and respect towards other religions. I hope we can build solidarity for the common good based on this mutual respect and cooperation and this harmony can continue with the common values of truth, love and justice."

"The martyrdom of priests is the result of their conscious choice to share the fate of the flock to the point of extreme sacrifice, when the efforts of mediation between the population and the occupiers, long pursued, lost all chance of success."

"The long-term solution to illegal immigration is not militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border, but economic development in poor nations."

"We must strive to be a Church capable of listening to the religious expressions of the communities, of welcoming the religious richness of the rituals of the people, of offering opportunities for commissioning ministries, of perceiving the presence of God in the way of living in harmony with everything and everyone."

"This is not the world as we know it with just another "tool," it is rather a world somehow culturally redefined by the new technologies."

"Christ loves you and is ready to help carry your luggage if you are committed to him."

"Nou goth sonne under wode,— Me reweth, Marie, thi faire Rode. Nou goth sonne under tre,— Me reweth, Marie, thi sone and the."

"He discharged the viceregal as he had the pastoral duties, with tact and uprightness, his fine education and elegant manners aiding at all times to enhance the merit of his acts."

"The most beautiful note, harmony, symphony of the pentagram is that of charity, because it's everywhere and always touches the chords of each heart, of whoever makes them feel it and whoever hears it."

"The basic ecclesial communities come together, actually all the races come together. Territorial parishes come together. Where the Lord is placed, all come together. In our country, there is diversity."

"Supported by the Church by Christ and his Mother we cannot accept the attitude of new Christian movements that tend to rub out the name of the Virgin Mary in our Christian tradition. How can we honour a king and despise his mother? May Mary be in Africa the one who exerts maternal royalty for the new departure of fraternal governments: since union makes strength."

"I think people are beginning to realize they were fooled and that there is a God. There is a saying that if you don't know the true God, you'll bow down before any old tree. So if there is a God, what else are we looking for?"

"The faith has been handed down from generation to generation through suffering and sacrifice, and the Church is duty-bound to protect this faith."

"In Asia the home of the great contemplative traditions, the dialogue of religious experience is of utmost importance. We would have a message for Asia only when our Asian brethren see in us the marks of God-realized persons. This dialogue is not opposed to the mission, but an integral part of the evangelizing mission of the Church which aims at making herself fully present as and when God wills, to all persons and peoples."

"There are many who are ignorant of the Bible. It is now your responsibility to promote the Bible in your parishes and defend your Christian faith."

"His death saddens all who knew him. We have lost an excellent shepherd."

"We always run the risk of turning into administrators if we are too many years in a job."