Pope will return to Rome with 50 migrants from Cyprus 0:50
(CNN Spanish) -
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis, turns 85 this Friday.
Since he was appointed bishop of Rome, Francis has been characterized by his humility;
for being a transgressor of the traditions of the Church on controversial issues such as abortion, homosexuals, clergy abuse of minors, among others;
and for making a difference, either by their actions or by the messages they have delivered.
These are some of the most controversial phrases of Pope Francis in these five years:
1. "If a gay man accepts the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge him?"
In July 2013, just three months after becoming pope, Francis uttered a phrase that has transcended as one of the most famous.
Referring to the supposed "gay lobby" - when some information that the Holy See supposedly contained a network of homosexual clergymen broke out in the Italian press - the pontiff acknowledged that there was a lot to talk about on the subject.
“When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between being gay and being part of a lobby.
If they accept the Lord and have good will, who am I to judge them?
They should not be marginalized.
The tendency [towards homosexuality] is not the problem ... they are our brothers ”.
In that sense, he insisted that the problem is "lobbies that act against the interests of the church," he told reporters at the time.
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2. The Church must "ask forgiveness" from homosexuals
On June 26, 2016, Pope Francis again referred to the issue of homosexuals, this time saying that it is the Catholic Church that must ask forgiveness from these people and all those who have been marginalized.
"I believe that the church should not only apologize ... not only must they apologize to this person who is homosexual who has been offended, but it must ask forgiveness from the poor, the exploited women, the children exploited for their manpower, you have to apologize for having blessed many weapons, "said the pope.
Francis: the Church should apologize to homosexual people
3. "I didn't want to be dad"
In a meeting with Catholic students from Italy and Albania in June 2014, Francis put aside his "boring" speech and instead answered the children's questions.
Then a boy asked him why he wanted to become a pope.
"I didn't want to," answered Francisco.
In fact, "a person who wants to become pope does not love himself. And God does not bless him," said the pontiff.
4. "The communists have stolen the flag of the poor from us"
In June 2014 in an interview with the Italian newspaper
Il Menssaggero
, the pope referred to the poor and said that the communists stole the flag of the poor from the Church, since they have been the center of the Gospel for 20 years.
“The communists have stolen our flag.
The flag of the poor is Christian (...).
Poverty is the center of the Gospel… Communists say that all this poverty is something communist.
Yes, of course, why not? ... But twenty centuries after (the writing of the Gospel).
When they speak, we could say to them: 'But they are Christians!' "The pope told
Il Messagero
.
5. "Abusing children is a disease"
On February 9, 2017, Pope Francis referred to sexual abuse by members of the clergy and said that abusing children is "a disease."
The pontiff added that the Catholic Church must do more in the selection of candidates who aspire to be priests.
On his first visit to Chile, in January 2018, Francisco once again referred to the issue of abuse of minors by representatives of the church, and said he felt "pain and shame" for the damage that has been done to them. caused to children.
Pope Francis offers his apologies 1:51
6. Those responsible for sexual abuse of minors will be held accountable
In a harsh and moving message to a group of bishops during his visit to the United States in September 2015, Pope Francis expressed his “deep sorrow” over the sexual abuse of minors within the Church and promised that those responsible will be held accountable. .
"I am committed to the zealous vigilance of the church to protect minors and I promise that all those responsible will be held accountable," he told the bishops in the United States.
“For those of you who were abused by a member of the clergy, I deeply regret the times that you or your families reported abuse but were not heard or believed.
Know that the Holy Father listens to you and believes you ”.
The 12 most powerful phrases of Pope Francis in his meeting with victims of the conflict
7. To be parents you must not be 'like rabbits'
In January 2015, Pope Francis was returning from a trip from the Philippines to Rome, when journalists approached him to ask him about birth control and corruption.
In answering a question about birth control, Francisco said that parents should not procreate non-stop, trusting God that everything will work out.
"God gives them methods to be responsible," Pope Francis said at the time. "Some think that, sorry to use that word, to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits.
No. Responsible parenthood ”.
8. "Avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil"
Faced with the spread and severity of Zika in early 2016, Francisco suggested that women could use contraceptives to avoid pregnancies that help prevent the virus.
During a press conference on the papal plane back to Rome after his visit to Mexico, the pontiff explained: “The great Paul VI, in a difficult situation in Africa, allowed the nuns to use contraception in cases of violence… On the other hand , avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil.
In certain cases, like the one I mentioned about Pope Paul VI, it was clear. "
He even argued that avoiding pregnancy was "a lesser evil" that "conflicts with the fifth and sixth commandments."
The pope once again insisted that, at the other extreme, “abortion is not the least of evils.
It is a crime… It is to eliminate one to save another.
It's what the mafia does ”.
Woman mocks Pope Francis security in Peru 0:34
9. "Voluntary celibacy is not a solution"
In March 2017, the pope was open to the possibility that married men could ordain themselves as priests and thus combat the lack of clergy, as he told an interview with the German newspaper Die Zeit, where he also described the problem as a "huge problem". lack of vocation.
10. It is better to be an atheist than a bad Christian
In February 2017, Francis surprised with a statement about bad Christians, saying that if a person who claims to be a Christian exploits other people or if he leads a double life, it is better that he does not identify himself as a believer.
“So many Catholics are like that.
And they scandalize, ”said the pontiff during a morning mass at Casa Santa Marta.
“How many times have we heard, all of us, in the neighborhood and elsewhere, 'but, to be a Catholic like that, it is better to be an atheist'.
That is the scandal.
It destroys you.
It knocks you down.
And this happens every day ”.
11. Even atheists will go to heaven
In 2013, just months after being elected pope, Francis posed questions to say that heaven was open, potentially, to all.
“The Lord has redeemed all of us with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics.
Everyone, ”he told the believers at a mass.
"'Father, what about atheists?'
Even atheists.
Everyone!".
The pope continued: “We must find each other doing good.
'But I don't think so, father, I'm an atheist!'
But do good: we will all meet there ”.
12. "The internet is a gift from God"
In January 2014, Francis praised the use of social media and the internet, inviting Christians to "become citizens of the digital world."
The pope said that the internet is a gift from God, but it can still create "exclusion" and "manipulation."
"The Internet can offer greater opportunities for meeting and solidarity among all; and this is a good thing, it is a gift from God," he said.
The pope also stressed that there are "problematic aspects" of this era of new communications such as "the speed with which information is transmitted, which exceeds our capacity for reflection and judgment, and does not allow a measured and correct expression of oneself. ".
13. "Behind so much pain and destruction you smell the stench ... of the devil's dung"
During his visit to Bolivia in July 2015, Francisco participated in the II World Meeting of Social Movements in Santa Cruz and his message was clear: a change is necessary in the face of exclusive globalization, it is necessary to eradicate forms of colonialism and it is necessary to leave the idolatry of money.
The pope spoke about the "economy of exclusion" and apologized to the indigenous people for the crimes against the indigenous peoples in the so-called Conquest of America.
In his speech, Francisco pointed out that the current economic system "cannot be tolerated, the peasants, workers ... neither can the land," said Francisco, reiterating his message against social exclusion governed by the interests of money.
"The globalization of hope must replace the globalization of exclusion and indifference," he said.
"I have verified that there is a desire for change in all the peoples of the world," he said, adding that "many expect a change that will free them from that individualistic sadness that enslaves."
Francisco criticized the current system: "Behind so much pain and destruction you smell the stench ... of the devil's dung."
14. "A person who thinks of building walls, any wall, and not building bridges, is not a Christian."
When Donald Trump was running for president of the United States, Pope Francis criticized him for his controversial proposal to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
In February 2016, he assured while he was on his plane that "a person who thinks about building walls, any wall, and not building bridges, is not a Christian," referring to the controversial border wall.
"I am only going to say that this man is not a Christian if he has said things like these. We must see if he has said these things in this way and I will give him the benefit of the doubt," added the Supreme Pontiff.
At that time, Trump responded in a statement saying that “the pope has only heard one side of the story.
He has not seen crime, drug trafficking and the negative impact of Mexican policies in the US ”, and affirmed“ that for a religious leader to question a person's faith is a scandal ”.
15. Fake news was born in Genesis
In January 2018, Pope Francis called on his followers to prevent the spread of fake news and restore the dignity of journalism.
According to the Pope, false news originates from the book of Genesis, in the Bible, because there the first “false news” was given, when the serpent lies to the woman and bears fruit for sin, a situation that is seen in the present, according to the message.
Pope Francis lashes out at fake news 1:33
“No disinformation is harmless;
on the contrary, trusting what is false produces dire consequences.
Even a seemingly slight distortion of the truth can have dangerous effects, ”the pope said in the message on World Communications Day.
16. Continue insisting on issues of social justice
"I persist in my annoyance," Pope Francis said in October 2021 during a speech at the Vatican, adding that some within the Catholic Church resent his insistence on social justice issues.
The pope spoke via video to the World Meeting of Popular Movements, an initiative founded by Francis, made up of hundreds of international grassroots organizations and social justice groups that work for immigration reform, environmental issues, prison reform, wages and protections for workers and racial justice.
17. Pope Francis and the vaccine against covid-19
Pope Francis said in September 2021 that he was puzzled by the refusal of so many people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, including some cardinals in the Catholic Church.
"It's a bit strange because humanity has a history of friendship with vaccines," he said aboard the plane returning from Slovakia, responding to a question from a journalist about the reasons behind the doubts surrounding vaccination.
"As children (we were vaccinated) against measles, polio. All children were vaccinated and no one said anything," he said.
18. "Mary, the 'influencer' of God"
During the closing of World Youth Day in Panama in January 2019, Pope Francis urged pilgrims to be like the Virgin Mary, whom he referred to as the “influencer” of God.
"Without a doubt, the young woman from Nazareth did not appear on the 'social networks' of the time," he said about the virgin. "She was not an 'influencer', but without wanting to or seeking it, she became the woman who most influenced the history".
“We can say to him with the confidence of children: Mary, the 'influencer' of God.
With a few words, he encouraged himself to say 'yes' and to trust in love, to trust in the promises of God, who is the only force capable of renewing, of making all things new.
And all of us today have something to do new inside, today we have to let God renew something in my heart.
Let's think a little: what do I want God to renew in my heart? ”, He added.
19. Extremism, a "betrayal of religion"
In March 2021, visiting Ur, the ancient Iraqi city where Jews, Christians and Muslims believe their common patriarch Abraham was born, Pope Francis condemned extremism as a "betrayal of religion."
Addressing a meeting of interfaith leaders, Francis condemned the violence that has affected that country in recent years and called for friendship and cooperation between religions.
"All their ethnic and religious communities have suffered. In particular, I would like to mention the Yazidi community, which has mourned the death of many men and has witnessed thousands of women, girls and boys kidnapped, sold as slaves, subjected to violence. physics and forced conversions, "he said.
20. Homesexuals "have the right to have a family"
According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis declared his support for homosexual civil coexistence laws for the first time as pope in a new documentary, “Francesco,” premiered in Rome in October 2020.
“Gay people have the right to be in the family.
They are children of God, they have the right to have a family.
No one can be thrown out of the family, or make life impossible for it, "said Pope Francis in the documentary, the Catholic News Agency reported.
“What we have to create is a law of civil coexistence.
They have the right to be legally covered, ”Francisco said.
The pope already supported civil unions of the same sex 1:36
21. "I want to express my shame"
In October 2021, Pope Francis expressed "his shame" at the response of the Catholic Church to victims of sexual abuse, this in the context of the report of sexual abuse in France.
The pontiff noted that the Church ignored the survivors for too long, adding that it wants this to be a "safe home for all."
A report records that more than 200,000 minors suffered sexual abuse by clergy in France over the past seven decades.
Pope on abuse report: It's a moment of shame 0:24
Pope Francisco
