The Church is not a political power, nor a political party, but rather a moral reality, a moral force.

May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.

I think in particular of our need to speak to the hearts of young people, who, despite their constant exposure to messages contrary to the Gospel, continue to thirst for authenticity, goodness and truth. Much remains to be done, particularly on the level of preaching and catechesis in parishes and schools, if the new evangelization is to bear fruit for the renewal of ecclesial life in America.

The Jesus who makes everything okay for everyone is a phantom, a dream, not a real figure.

Poverty is a plague against which humanity must fight without cease.

God is our Father and loves us, even when his silence remains incomprehensible.

Peace, however, is not merely a gift to be received: it is also a task to be undertaken. In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God', as Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount