Pope Leo XIV calls for fairer solutions in case of disabled Spanish woman

Pope Leo XIV called for fairer solutions to prevent the eviction of vulnerable people after hearing about the case of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old disabled woman in Spain. Speaking on his plane from France to Rome on Monday, the pope suggested that neighbors, parishes, dioceses, and the state should work together to address systemic problems that allow elderly or disabled individuals to lose their homes.

Abascal was recently filmed being removed from her Madrid home on a stretcher and hospitalized following an eviction by the developer Urbagestión. While the pope noted he did not know the specific details of the case, he stated that the Church and society must seek better ways to prevent such situations.

Although the eviction caused widespread protests regarding the housing crisis in Spain, news on Tuesday indicated that an agreement was reached allowing Abascal to remain in her home.