As for the spirit of poverty, I do not remember any moment when it was not in me, although only to that unhappily small extent compatible with my imperfection. I fell in love with Saint Francis of Assisi as soon as I came to know about him. I always believed and hoped that one day Fate would force upon me the condition of a vagabond and a beggar which he embraced freely. Actually I felt the same way about prison.

The human soul has need of security and also of risk. The fear of violence or of hunger or of any other extreme evil is a sickness of the soul. The boredom produced by a complete absence of risk is also a sickness of the soul.

Necessity is God's veil.

The beautiful is the experimental proof that the incarnation is possible.

Official history is believing the murderers at their word.

Oppression that is clearly inexorable and invincible does not give rise to revolt but to submission.

We must not wish for the disappearance of our troubles but for the grace to transform them.