Pope Leo XIV Visits Disability Home in Argentina, Draws 2.5 Million to Mass

Pope Leo XIV visited the Cottolengo Don Orione home for people with disabilities in Claypole, south of Buenos Aires, on Monday. The trip marked the start of a visit that emphasized care for vulnerable residents amid ongoing political debate over social spending.

The center, founded in 1935 by an Italian priest, occupies 123 acres and houses more than 400 people with disabilities. Milei’s austerity measures have reduced funding for healthcare and social services, creating financial strain for institutions like Cottolengo. The government recently paid the center about 828 million pesos, roughly $535,000, to cover medications, diapers, and food for four months.

Leo embraced residents in wheelchairs and addressed the group in the center’s chapel. He stated that their lives are a blessing, not a burden on society. He added that a nation’s progress is measured by how it welcomes people with disabilities and particular needs.

Kuyen Rolon Rey, a volunteer at the home, said the choice to visit such a small place made the residents happy. Fernando Montero, who oversees the home’s disability services, noted that media attention surrounding the papal visit helped secure recent payments from the government.

The visit occurred days before the Argentine Senate considers legislation to set aside money for disability benefits in the next year’s budget. President Javier Milei opposes the measure. His administration has resisted implementing a law passed last year to increase funding for disability care, citing concerns about fiscal balance. Care homes remain owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Later on Monday, Leo presided over a Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles, an event the Vatican said drew an estimated 2.5 million people. This marked the largest liturgical turnout of his papacy. The site hosted the last papal Mass in Argentina nearly 40 years ago, when St. John Paul II visited. The day was declared a national holiday to reduce traffic and allow residents to attend.

Milei and his sister Karina, the secretary-general of the presidency, attended the Mass in VIP seats. In his homily, Leo told Argentine families not to give in to those who dismiss the Christian family as outdated. He described the family as a pillar amid the insecurities of the time. Isabel Martín, 73, who attended with her parish group, said she hoped the pope would touch Milei’s heart regarding spending cuts that affect pensioners.

Upon arriving in Argentina on Sunday, Leo stated that the economy must serve the person, not the person the economy. He is scheduled to meet with business leaders, union representatives, and leaders of popular movements at the Catholic University of Argentina later Monday. Cabinet chief Diego Santilli said the government did not view the pope’s comments as a rebuke. Governor Axel Kicillof of Buenos Aires Province welcomed the pope to the Cottolengo and urged officials to listen to the message.