“Yet again, we find ourselves faced with the paradox of the Gospel: we are freed by serving, not in doing whatever we want.”

Speaking at the Colosseum in Rome today, Pope Francis addressed leaders of the world’s religions and governments, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on the topic of peace and human fraternity.

“Allow me to say, we are saints,” the pope said. ”But then, by our actions, we become sinners. But, fundamentally, we are saints.”

Today I would like to speak to you about my Apostolic Journey in Budapest and in Slovakia. I would summarize it as follows: it was a pilgrimage of prayer, a pilgrimage to the roots, a pilgrimage of hope.

Let us ask for the wisdom always to be aware of God’s love for us and to turn away the fundamentalists who propose to us a life of artificial asceticism.

Hypocrisy in the Church is particularly detestable; and unfortunately, hypocrisy exists in the Church and there are many hypocritical Christians and ministers.