The late Pope Benedict XVI’s disgust over the abuse scandals marring the church was made evident even before his election as pope.

Here is a collection of notable quotes from Pope Benedict XVI from homilies, documents, messages and speeches from 2005 to 2013, the years he served as pope. They are grouped according to subject.

Retired Pope Benedict XVI’s final message to Catholics around the world was: “Stand firm in the faith! Do not let yourselves be confused!”

A quiet hush covered the vast expanse of St Peter’s Square even though it was filled with thousands of people slowly winding their way around the colonnade into St Peter’s Basilica to pay their last respects to the late Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict XVI will long be remembered fondly in Australia as the Pontiff who led young people from around the globe in prayer at World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.

The interconnected “moral, social, political and economic crises” facing the world cannot be solved if individuals and nations continue to focus only on their own, immediate interests, Pope Francis said in his message for World Peace Day 2023.

Since late August, the Holy Father has been using his general audience talks to explain the process of spiritual discernment according to the teaching of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits.

Meeting Pope Francis on 28 November, Relator General of the Synod, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxemborg, said the synod process has faced “temptations” along the way. Particularly in the media, he said, there is a temptation to politicise the church, looking at it “with the logic of politics.”

Meeting some 600 schoolchildren, teens and their teachers, Pope Francis said he wanted to draw the students’ attention to two important witnesses to peace: St John and Rev King.

Perth has last month been host to special guests from Aid to the Church in Need, with National Director, Bernard Toutounji thanking benefactors for their support and discussing current projects.