The upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Argentina will bring a moment of celebration to the Cottolengo Don Orione, a Catholic‑run home for disabled people, as the pope’s first full day of travel stops in Claypole. The home, which houses around 400 residents, is preparing for the event with new tree plantings, fresh paint on its buildings, choir rehearsals, and residents practicing their positions outside the sanctuary. However, the visit comes amid a difficult period for the facility, as President Javier Milei’s broad cuts to disability funding have strained resources for the community.
President has opposing views on many issues, and once called Leo’s predecessor the ‘representative of the Evil One’Trees are being planted in the garden. The brightly coloured buildings are getting another coat of paint. The choir rehearses. Hundreds of other residents, several of them using wheelchairs, practise their positions outside the sanctuary. Excitement is in the air, because on Monday 9 November, the Cottolengo Don Orione – a Catholic-run home for disabled people – will be the first stop on Pope Leo XIV’s first full day of his trip to Argentina.But the pope’s visit to Claypole, about 26km from Buenos Aires, does not come at an especially happy time for the home, which counts about 400 residents with disabilities. Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has made wide-ranging cuts to disability funding. Continue reading...
