Pope Francis urges fair housing solutions and condemns war spending after France visit

Pope Francis wrapped up a four-day apostolic journey to France, noting his encounters with young crowds and the sick in Lourdes. When asked about the eviction of an 87-year-old woman with limited mobility in Madrid, he stressed the need for just solutions and called on neighbours, parishes, dioceses and state authorities to address such cases. He cautioned that housing scarcity cannot be solved by a single parish and requires structural reforms and political action.

On the issue of sexual abuse within the Church, he declined to describe it as systemic, framing it as a human problem that the Church must help heal. The pontiff also condemned the booming arms industry, questioning why billions are spent on weapons while basic needs like food, shelter and employment remain unmet, and reiterated the Church’s role in promoting human dignity and peace.