No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.

As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems.

A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will convince nobody.

Like Mary, may we nurture the light born within us at Christmas. May we carry it everywhere in our daily lives.

The victims of problems of the family are the children. The children. Even of problems that neither husband nor wife have a say in.

I believe in the kindness of others, and that I must love them without fear.

Certain realities of life we only see through eyes cleansed by our tears.