Matteo Zuppi Quotes (1955-)

“On abortion, the 194 Law was painful, but it seems to me to guarantee, for some too little, for some too much and it has an important secular translation, so much so that no one is going to question it. Granted that we have to get out of the Oriazi and Curiazi scheme, the deterrent part, about avoiding a woman's suffering, the consultories, can be applied more.”

“There is a deep harmony. Pope Francis manages to reach so many people, he touches their hearts, warms them, makes them feel loved, makes them feel that the Church is close to them, a Church that listens to you, that cares about your problems. The Pope has a great pastoral vision and proclaims the eternal truths in today's language and categories. Above all, he helps us understand that the social and the spiritual are intimately united. And woe betide anyone who divides them.”

“Welcoming someone has no expiry date or time limit, as long as you ‘stay on the straight and narrow’. If you are a child, you are a child. If you are a brother, you are a brother, this is always your home. Then I may disagree, I may disagree completely. There has been a lot of discussion within the Church about the Zan bill. For example: is surrogacy a problem? Yes, it is a problem. But if you ask me to baptise a child born in this way, I will say: of course! I will do it. I have done it.”

“Seeing so many people in St. Peter's Square waiting for the announcement was truly moving. There was anticipation, so much joy, so much desire. I had a lump in my throat. I wondered what I would have done if I had been in the new Pope's place, and I thought I would have done as in the film by Nanni Moretti: I would have stepped out onto the balcony, and after seeing so many people, I would have closed it and said, “I can't do it”. [...] I knew about FantaPapa because I talked about it with my grandchildren, and we exchanged words of esteem.”

“Journalist: Welby was denied a funeral. If a person died by assisted suicide, would you celebrate their funeral? Cardinal Zuppi: Yes. However, I must clarify one point: the Church does not allow euthanasia, but calls for the application of palliative care. We remain at the side of our loved ones until the very end, doing everything possible to relieve their physical and spiritual suffering, without any form of aggressive treatment, but always defending the dignity of the person. The complexity of the situation requires intelligence, mercy and love in order to understand the events of life.”

“Declaration of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith, Fiducia supplicans is placed within the horizon of mercy, of the Church's loving gaze on all of God's children, without, however, departing from the teachings of the Magisterium. God wants everyone to be saved. It is therefore the Church's task to be interested in each and every person. We cannot forget that all the baptized," he added, "enjoy the full dignity of 'children of God' and, as such, are our brothers and sisters. There is no questioning of the meaning of the Sacrament of Marriage. We are open to dialogue, but we will not let others tell us what the content of charitable action or mission is, which are never partisan, because the only part of the Church is Christ and the defense of the person, of life, from beginning to end.”