Pope Francis In His Own Words

Pope Francis won the hearts of Catholics all over the world when he was elected in March 2013, with his natural humility and commitment to putting those who are poor at the centre of his mission.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio - the 265th successor of St Peter and the first non-European Pope in over 1200 years - has encouraged people to live simpler lives and shown the world a more compassionate face of Catholicism, bringing fresh hope for a renewal in the Church.

In his own life, he has long demonstrated both his belief in simplicity and his concern for those who are poor, refusing to live in palatial accommodation during his tenure as a cardinal in Buenos Aires, riding the bus to work and even persuading the diocese to allow a group of poor missionaries to live in the official residence.

POPE FRANCIS IN HIS OWN WORDS has been compiled to give Catholics and non-Catholics alike an insight into the thoughts of the new pontiff.