The church, inserted and active in human society and in history, does not exist in order to exercise political power or to govern the society.

In fact, effective solidarity with the poor, both individual persons and entire nations, is indispensable for the construction of peace.

However, it must always remain a dialogue, and never an imposition of the church's own convictions and methods. Propose, not impose. To serve, and not to dominate.

The faith must express itself in charity and in solidarity, which is the civil form of charity.

A church of dialogue in the contemporary world... a church, taking on the mission of Jesus, which is in the world not to judge humanity, but to love it and to save it.

The Church doesn't censor. It tries to guide its faithful through catechism.

The church must constantly promote dialogue.

In fact, a large majority of those have died and of those expected to die of AIDS, as well as of those who are infected with the virus, are in sub-Saharan Africa.

We know that social exclusion is closely tied to the new economic world order, globalized, with free and open markets, which isn't bringing prosperity or social justice to all.

We see violence to forcibly seize land, at any price, murders and corruption.

John Paul II made it clear that... liberation theology based on the teaching of Jesus Christ was necessary, but liberation theology that used a Marxist analysis was unacceptable.

A wise man's sorrow is better than a fool's happiness.

Having devoted the first half of my life to the dark, I feel obliged to rever any pinpoint of light now.

The world would probably be better if people were put in carriers and cats roamed free.

If I were given a choice between two films and one was dark and explored depraved, troubled or sick aspects of our culture, I would always opt for that over the next romantic comedy.

Why in the world would you have it interpreted by nine lawyers?

What we seek is what we are.

It was always said that the big distinction between the French and the English is that the English are intelligent and the French are intellectual.

I'm a weird, bald musician who makes records in his bedroom and lives in the Lower East Side.

For one pain endured with joy, we shall love the good God more forever.

Child poverty in the United States declined after the work requirement was put in there. People realized that they had to work and people went out and worked and they got off welfare.