Pope Leo XIV to visit Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the Cottolengo Don Orione institution in Claypole on Monday, November 9. The facility, which has operated since May 21, 1936, provides permanent housing and day center services for people with disabilities.

The institution currently houses 410 residents and employs approximately 400 staff members. Father Aníbal Quevedo, a priest of the Don Orione ministry and provincial counselor for Cottolengos in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, noted that the visit provides a level of visibility the institution has not previously experienced.

Father Quevedo emphasized that the mission of the Cottolengo is rooted in Gospel teachings, focusing on providing quality of life and dignity to vulnerable individuals rather than just basic necessities like food and shelter.