Pope Leo XIV calls for systemic answers to housing crisis after Madrid eviction

Pope Leo XIV spoke about the housing crisis during a news conference on September 28, 2026, aboard the flight back to Rome at the end of his apostolic visit to France. He took the case of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old woman evicted from her home in Madrid, as the starting point for remarks on the effects of property speculation on vulnerable people in different countries.

The pope's question about an elderly woman forced out of her home

The pope said he did not know the details of Maricarmen's case, but used it as a public example of a structural problem. "What is the problem with the system that allows an elderly woman to be thrown out of her home?" he asked, noting that the woman was elderly and had a disability.

He used the question to open a discussion that went beyond the individual case and pointed to the structural mechanisms that leave vulnerable people homeless.

The systemic causes of the housing crisis

The pope said institutional responses in such cases too often come once the damage has been done. "We must really see what the systemic cause of this problem is and how to help," he said, calling for an examination of the underlying causes rather than emergency measures.

The housing crisis cannot be resolved at a single institutional level, he said, adding that "the housing problem cannot be solved by a parish, a diocese or the Church alone."

He called for the state to step in as an essential actor and said authorities should be proactive rather than merely reactive. Without changes in national housing policy, he said, parish efforts will remain insufficient.

Social responsibility and compassion

The pope said the Church has a duty to promote justice and compassion in the face of the housing crisis, while repeating that parish efforts will fall short without changes in housing policy at the national level. He called for awakening in society "the capacity to respond in a more human way to the suffering of others."

Russia, Ukraine and the economy of war

At the same news conference, the pope addressed the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He asked the leaders of both countries to seek solutions through dialogue and described the war as one that "makes no sense."

He linked military spending to humanitarian crises, criticized the economic interests behind the arms industry and said the resources spent on armed conflict could be used to address global problems such as hunger and the lack of housing. Billions are being invested in weapons while millions of people have no home, he said.

Sexual abuse in the Church

On sexual abuse committed in Church institutions, the pope said some Church organizations have acted abusively. He stopped short of describing it as widespread "systemic abuse."

The Church has a responsibility to accompany victims in their healing, he said. He stressed that abuses "destroy people's life of faith," placing the harm on the spiritual level as well as the physical and psychological.

Artificial intelligence

The pope also addressed the rise of artificial intelligence, calling it a matter that requires urgent dialogue between politicians and experts. He asked for serious reflection on the limits needed to avoid catastrophic harm to humanity.

Confirmed and pending trips

On his schedule, the pope confirmed that he will travel to Korea for World Youth Day. He also said he would like to visit Germany in the future, without giving dates.