Many countries are experiencing extreme climatic events. I reiterate my appeal to the leaders of Nations, that something more tangible be done to limit polluting emissions: it is an urgent challenge and affects everyone. Let us protect our common home!

Pope Francis, Twitter, 23 July

I’ve gotten to know Evangelicals. I know so many people and they feel so good about themselves and their family, and they base it on religion. . . I know so many people that are so incredible, religious people. And not just Christians, not just Evangelicals. You know, when I look at the Catholic faith, you take a look at what the FBI is doing to Catholics, they’ve made them like the enemy, it’s horrible. How could a Catholic ever vote for a Democrat or a guy like Biden again, after the experience that they’re going through? I’ve met some of the finest people that I wouldn’t have had the privilege of meeting if I weren’t President, and they’re religious leaders and they really are incredible people

Donald Trump, answering a question about his own faith, reported on Fox News, 18 July

At last, we have a name for the demands of daily parish ministry: Barbenheimer! When you run from toddler-group story time to grief-stricken funeral. The skills needed by my colleagues, and their capacity, a source of wonder and gratitude

Simon Burton-Jones, Bishop of Tonbridge, Twitter, 22 July. The Barbenheimer phenomenon refers to the simultaneous release of the films Barbie and Oppenheimer

Protestations of love for the parishes ring hollow. Central funds are channelled to perpetuate bloated bureaucracy. Bureaucrats produce unAnglican, upside-down schemes to reduce rooted local parish clergy. The risk is that clergy become manager-supervisors, while lay people take services: a potential safeguarding nightmare. This Dunkirk-style flight is not necessary; there is the money and resources to rebuild the Church in the parishes’ purpose-built buildings

Emma Thompson, The Daily Telegraph, 21 July

One of the strangest things about the present moment is that judged by what we can measure, our lives are better than those of almost anyone in history. We live longer and healthier lives, with better and more varied food, more entertainment, and more freedom than almost everyone who came before us. Yet far from being grateful, many people are angry and angst-ridden. The more we have, the more we fear losing it, and we find ourselves demanding still more. In this world, we seem unable to be satisfied

Gerry Lynch, priest, sermon preached at Holy Cross, Seend, and Christ Church, Bulkington, 23 July

We invite readers’ contributions. Quotations have to be from the past few days (or quoted therein), and we need author, source, and date. Please send promptly to: quotes@churchtimes.co.uk