Pope Francis has donated one million euros to the homeless. This money will be used for the construction of 20 small houses for those without the possibility or resources to have a roof over their heads.
The Pope made the donation before entering the Gemelli hospital, and the recipient, in particular, is the Don Roberto Sardelli Fund. It's dedicated to charitable works related to social housing, and belongs to the Caritas of the Diocese of Rome.
The idea of this project was to give a new life to a house that previously belonged to the clergy and that will now belong to the poor, as Cardinal Reina announced at the beginning of February.
CARD. BALDASSARE REINA
Vicar General, Diocese of Rome
We thought we would use it for people who don't have a home. It will be, I think, about 20, that's it, about 20 mini apartments. It will take a lot of money to renovate it. One half will be given to us by the Holy Father, he has already given it to us; and the other half will be given by the Diocese of Rome and we will allocate that house precisely to those who have no home.
The Pope has already spoken out again on the housing problem a few months ago. It was with his diocese, the diocese of Rome, in a meeting in October 2024.
Francis spoke of the difficulties of people living on the streets and how actions speak louder than words.
POPE FRANCIS
And the good news to proclaim to the poor first and foremost is to tell them that they are loved by the Lord and that in God's eyes they are precious, that their dignity, often trampled on by the world, is sacred before God. But so many times, we Christians say this in words, and then fail to make the gestures that make it credible.
Francis has been the first to lead by example, so that one million euros will now belong to the people with economic hardships.
JH
