Cursed is everyone who places his hope in changing the nature of man

Do not wander far and wide but return into yourself. Deep within man there dwells the truth.

The most venerable, clearly understood, enlightened, and reliable constant in the world is not only that we want to be happy, but that we want only to be so. Our very nature requires it of us.

The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo (Give me chastity and continence, but not just yet)!

You wish to be great, begin from the least. You are thinking to construct some mighty fabric in height; first think of the foundation of humility. And how great soever a mass of building one may wish and design to place above it, the greater the building is to be, the deeper does he dig his foundation.

Two loves have made two different cities: self-love hath made a terrestrial city, which rises in contempt of God; and Divine Love hath made a celestial one, which rises in contempt of self. The former glories in itself - the latter in God.