He Pope Leo XIV He stated this Monday that society and religious communities must demand from political authorities structural solutions to the housing crisis, warning that the shortage of equitable shelter constitutes a social challenge that is increasing globally.
During the usual press conference aboard the papal plane returning to Rome, after completing a four-day apostolic visit to France, the leader of the Catholic Church was consulted about the impact of the eviction of Maricarmen Abascalan 87-year-old Spanish citizen whose eviction has triggered social protest mobilizations in Spain.
The Pontiff He emphasized that the housing problem overwhelms the assistance containment capacity of parishes or dioceses, demanding comprehensive intervention by the State to correct the distortions that allow the abandonment of people in situations of vulnerability or disability.
“The problem of the house is a great challenge where we perhaps also have to demand that political leaders and authorities seek a solution. Many times we react only to the moment of emergency, but we have to actually see what the systemic cause is,” the Pope stated before journalists.
Although he said he did not know in detail the judicial files of the Spanish case, Leo XIV questioned the regulatory and institutional framework that validates the expulsion of older adults from their homes, calling for the review of minimum social guarantees.
The bishop of Rome recalled that the social doctrine of the Church actively promotes combating the “throwaway culture”, urging both believers and non-believers to articulate joint responses based on distributive justice and sensitivity to the suffering of others.
The pronouncement of Holy Father closes its official agenda on French territory, where it held meetings with local communities and international institutions, placing social rights and economic equity at the center of its public interventions.
