--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I am telling you: I would prefer a…" description: "\"“But I am telling you: I would prefer a thousand times over a bruised Church to an ill Church!”\" — Pope Francis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/pope-francis-85_time_but-i-am-telling-you-i-would-prefer-a-th_3053539.png" --- # But I am telling you: I would prefer a thousand times over… ![“But I am telling you: I would prefer a thousand times over a bruised Church to an ill Church!” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/pope-francis-85_time_but-i-am-telling-you-i-would-prefer-a-th_3053539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/pope-francis-85_time_but-i-am-telling-you-i-would-prefer-a-th_3053539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/715/pope-francis-85_time_but-i-am-telling-you-i-would-prefer-a-th_3053539.png) > ““But I am telling you: I would prefer a thousand times over a bruised Church to an ill Church!”” [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a steadfast, albeit imperfect, faith community is better than a compromised one. **In simple terms:** Prefer a bruised Church over a corrupt one. Key Takeaway Support authentic faith communities. Themes faith integrity resilience community Mood hopeful serious Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - church life - social activism - personal belief Key Concepts theology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'bruised' church? - How can you foster integrity? A Different Perspective Compromise may seem easier. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I would prefer a thousand times to receive reproofs than to give them to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/i-would-prefer-a-thousand-times-to-receive-reproofs-than-to-give-them/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [Certainly the institutional church is ill. It's hemorrhaging young people at an astronomical rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/certainly-the-institutional-church-is-ill-it-s-hemorrhaging-young/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [For my part I prefer fifty thousand rifles to fifty thousand votes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/for-my-part-i-prefer-fifty-thousand-rifles-to-fifty-thousand-votes/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [For my part I prefer fifty thousand rifles to five million votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/for-my-part-i-prefer-fifty-thousand-rifles-to-five-million-votes/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [That love of self, which the world advocates, is a thousand times more dangerous than any poison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/that-love-of-self-which-the-world-advocates-is-a-thousand-times-more/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [The work of deciding cases goes on every day in hundreds of courts throughout the land. 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