Pope Leo XIV stood among residents of Casavalle, a poor district of Montevideo, on Saturday 7 November 2026 and said children in Uruguay are staying away from school for fear of not coming home. His words matter in the United States because Leo, born in Chicago, is the first American pope, and his tour is a window on poverty and violence across Latin America.
Key Facts
- Where. Casavalle, a low-income district of Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, at the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe parish.
- Message. The Pope said some children skip school “for fear of not coming back.”
- Plea. He asked the Church, civil society and the state to work together against violence and poverty.
- Next. After Uruguay, the Pope’s South American tour continues to Argentina and Peru.
What Happened
Pope Leo XIV spoke to residents of Casavalle, a low-income district of Montevideo, on Saturday 7 November 2026. The meeting took place on a stage in front of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) parish, a local Catholic church community.
“No podemos pasar de largo cuando sabemos que hay niños en Uruguay que no van a la escuela por miedo a no volver,” he told the residents. In English: “We cannot walk past when we know there are children in Uruguay who do not go to school for fear of not coming back.”
He also said conscience cannot stay silent when a mother lacks the means to feed her children. He added that no child of the country should go to bed hungry or suffer violence to the point of losing their life.
Leo then urged unity, saying: “We must work together: the Church, the civil community and the state.” He also said, in our translation, that people must wake from their inertia and stand up for the common good.
The Pope blessed homes of families in Familias de Guadalupe, a local programme, and met residents and sick people. His stop in the district came after he arrived in Uruguay for the first leg of the tour.
That evening the papal programme called for a prayer vigil at Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, the national stadium built for the 1930 football World Cup. The Vatican programme set the vigil for 7 p.m. local time.
Why It Matters
Fear of walking to school is a daily cost, not an abstract worry. Lost lessons and missed workdays add up for families who already live on little.
Many Americans follow this Pope closely, and Latin American security is a regular US concern. A message from a Chicago-born pontiff about frightened children travels further than most local stories.
The speech also shows how a papal visit can pull attention to places that rarely reach international news. The Vatican’s published programme listed the Casavalle meeting for 5 p.m. that day.
What Is Not Known
We could not confirm Casavalle’s homicide rate or whether it is the highest in Uruguay. Official Interior Ministry figures were not found in time to check any ranking, so we state none.
We found no official count of shootings in the district. No official count of children missing school out of fear was found either.
We did not reach the Vatican’s full official text of the address, so the Spanish wording follows regional coverage. The quotes above are consistent across several sources.
We found no official crowd count for the Casavalle meeting or the vigil. It is not yet clear whether the government will announce new measures after the visit.
What It Means for You
If you follow Latin America as an investor or traveller, the speech is a reminder that public safety is a political issue even in smaller, stable democracies. Neighbourhood violence can shape how a country is seen from abroad.
Watch for any response from Uruguay’s government on schools and policing in poor districts. Such steps affect how safe the country feels to visitors and businesses.
The Pope’s tour moves on to Argentina and Peru, so more messages on poverty and violence may follow. For now, the Casavalle address stands as a call to act together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Pope Leo speak about children and school?
He spoke in Casavalle, a low-income district of Montevideo, Uruguay, on Saturday 7 November 2026. He said children in Uruguay miss school for fear of not coming back.
What did Pope Leo ask people to do?
He asked the Church, civil society and the state to work together. He said people must wake from their inertia and speak up for the common good.
Sources
Pope Leo XIV’s address in Casavalle, 7 November 2026; published programme of the papal visit to Uruguay.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error