Quotes from Pope Benedict XVI

To me, its seems necessary to rediscover - and the energy to do so exists - that even the political and economic spheres need moral responsibility, a responsibility that is born in man's heart and, in the end, has to do with the presence or absence of God.

If a Pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically, and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right and, under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign.

The Eucharistic sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ embraces in turn the mystery of our Lord's continuing passion in the members of his mystical body, the church in every age.

It is absolutely important to make accessible the Gospel for all people and also understandable for Jewish people.

Standards of conduct appropriate to civil society or the workings of a democracy cannot be purely and simply applied to the Church.

I too hope in this short reign to be a man of peace.

Choose the path of dialogue rather than the path of unilateral decisions.

The family unit is fundamental for the educational process and for the development both of individuals and states; hence there is a need for policies which promote the family and aid social cohesion and dialogue.

Human rights, of course, must include the right to religious freedom, understood as the expression of a dimension that is at once individual and communitarian - a vision that brings out the unity of the person while clearly distinguishing between the dimension of the citizen and that of the believer.

The new Pope knows that his task is to make the light of Christ shine before men and women of world - not his own light, but that of Christ.

Men and women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough.

When politicians presume to do God's work, they do not become divine but diabolical.