--- description: Pope Francis has spoken out against "the idolatry of money." title: Here Are 5 Pope Francis Quotes On the Economy and Inequality image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc09c3de93a02765d/69886380a988ca2d896b452c/453214022-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Pope Francis](/tag/pope-francis/) ## Pope Francis Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here Are 5 Pope Francis Quotes On the Economy and Inequality by [Tom Huddleston, Jr. / Fortune](/author/fortune/) ## Tom Huddleston, Jr. / Fortune Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 14, 2015 6:37 PM CUT  Pope Francis Pope FrancisALBERTO PIZZOLI—AFP/Getty Images by [Tom Huddleston, Jr. / Fortune](/author/fortune/) ## Tom Huddleston, Jr. / Fortune Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 14, 2015 6:37 PM CUT Everyone’s favorite pope (sorry, Benedict) is making his first trip stateside next week and officials in the three cities hosting Pope Francis are already gearing up for huge crowds — and a [huge boost in tourism revenue](http://fortune.com/2015/09/09/pope-francis-philadelphia/ "undefined"). Starting next Tuesday, Pope Francis will pass through Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia over the course of six days. The arrival of the so-called “people’s pope” — with the subsequent increase in tourism, hotel and restaurant spending — is expected to generate anywhere from $400 million to [half a billion dollars](http://www.theintell.com/tabs/papalvisit/papal-visit-to-generate-millions-for-philadelphia-region-s-economy/article%5Fbd467103-9a4b-57bc-bb06-c77055d365c0.html "undefined") in Philadelphia, while D.C. and New York should also see major tourism boosts. In addition to the effect he can have on local economies simply by showing up, Pope Francis has also had plenty to say about matters of finance and economics during his papal reign. In honor of Pope Francis’ American visit, here arefive quotes from the head of the Catholic Church on issues such as the global economy, capitalism, and poverty. In 2013, Pope Francis [wrote a massive statement](http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost%5Fexhortations/documents/papa-francesco%5Fesortazione-ap%5F20131124%5Fevangelii-gaudium.html "undefined"), called an apostolic exhortation, in which he decried what he called the “idolatry of money”: --- > “” --- From the same 2013 writing, on the theory of trickle-down economics: --- > “” --- In a speech in Bolivia [earlier this summer](http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/07/10/pope%5Ffrancis%5Fspeech%5Fat%5Fworld%5Fmeeting%5Fof%5Fpopular%5Fmovements/1157291 "undefined"), the pope sounded off on a single-minded obsession with money. (His quoting of Saint Basil the Great resulted in a backlash, but Pope Francis [defended his comments](http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/13/world/pope-defends-economy/ "undefined") as following the tenets of the Catholic Church.): --- > “” --- And, in the same speech, speaking (in Bolivia earlier this summer) about [economic inequality](http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/07/world/pope-mass-ecuador-quito/index.html "undefined"): --- > “” --- Last year, [a _Fortune_ magazine story](http://fortune.com/2014/08/14/this-pope-means-business/ "undefined") investigated the finances of the Vatican, the seat of the Catholic Church, and Pope Francis’ efforts to steer financial reform. 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