On Pope Leo's 70th Birthday, Seven Quotes to Celebrate

On his 70th birthday, Pope Leo’s words call us to courage, compassion, and conversion — here are our favorites.

Today, Pope Leo turns 70 — a milestone not just for the man, but for the millions who’ve watched him transform the Church’s voice in the world.

To honor his special day, here are our seven favorite quotes of his pontificate so far:

1. “God loves us, God loves all, and evil will not prevail. We are all in God’s hands. Therefore, without fear, united, holding hands with God and with each other, let us move forward.” (Maiden Address of Pope Leo, May 8, 2025)
   

2. “In a world darkened by war and injustice, even when all seems lost, migrants and refugees stand as messengers of hope.”
   
   ”Their courage and tenacity bear heroic testimony to a faith that sees beyond what our eyes can see and gives them the strength to defy death on the various contemporary migration routes.” (World Migrant Day Message)

   

3. “Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict.” (Angelus, June 22, 2025)
   

4. “In order to live eternally, we do not need to cheat death, but to serve life. Let us be artists of peace.” (Angelus, July 13, 2025)
   

5. “Once we learn to take the last places, rather than striving for the first, that dignity will appear, and we will come to the fore simply and effortlessly.
   
   ”Let us pray that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are welcome, a place where rivalries are set aside and where Jesus still speaks to us and teaches us to imitate his own humility and freedom.” (Angelus, August 31, 2025)

   

6. “Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him.
   
   ”On the contrary, he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them, for all of us are ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5), called through our baptism to build God’s house in fraternal communion, in the harmony of the Spirit, in the coexistence of diversity.” (Inaugural Mass Homily, May 18, 2025)
   

7. “Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred; let us free it from aggression.
   
   “We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice. Let us disarm words, and we will help to disarm the world.
   
   “Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity.” (Audience with Media, May 12, 2025)

   

These aren’t just beautiful words from Pope Leo — they’re a blueprint for the next era of the Church and a challenge to every one of us.

If you believe, like I do, that the world needs more peace-makers, more humble leaders, and more honest, hopeful Catholic witness, then let’s not leave these quotes in the birthday headlines. Let’s make them the foundation of our next steps.

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Thank you for reading. I’ll see you on the road.