<div><p>There has been a long standing debate over giving money to the homeless, with many people saying we should refrain because the homeless person "is just going to buy drugs or alcohol." </p><p>This train of thought usually stops people from giving at all, but then complaining about the homeless problem in the city they're in. </p><p>However, Pope Francis has a message for all Christians who don't give money to the homeless, or who don't think they should be helping refugee families. </p><p>"There are many excuses" to justify why one doesn't lend a hand when asked by a person begging on the street, <a href="http://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/02/28/pope-francis-says-give-homeless-dont-worry-about-how-they-spend-it-lent">says </a>the Pope. His Holiness says many people tell themselves ""I give money and then he spends it on drinking a glass of wine" as a way to make them feel better. "Instead ask yourself what do you do on the sly? What "˜happiness' do you seek in secret?"</p><div><figure><a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/04/19/it-feels-like-a-dream-syrian-refugees-thank-pope-francis-for-bringing-them-to-rome/" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/20160416T1331-37-CNS-POPE-LESBOS-FLIGHT_800-800x500.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/20160416T1331-37-CNS-POPE-LESBOS-FLIGHT_800-800x500_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/20160416T1331-37-CNS-POPE-LESBOS-FLIGHT_800-800x500_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/20160416T1331-37-CNS-POPE-LESBOS-FLIGHT_800-800x500_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/04/19/it-feels-like-a-dream-syrian-refugees-thank-pope-francis-for-bringing-them-to-rome/" target="_blank">Catholic Herald</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Pope Francis also says we must stop looking at homeless people as though they are filthy. "Well, the filth is within [your] heart," he says. "One can look at a homeless person and see him as a person or else as if he were a dog, and they notice this different way of looking."</p><p>The religious leader also made headlines recently when he told Catholics they should be offering financial assistance or housing to families who are settling in a new country, and to stop making excuses when it comes to helping those who are trying to change their lives. </p><p>"Here in the Vatican there are two parishes, and both are housing Syrian families. Many parishes in Rome have also opened their doors and others, which don't have a house for priests, have offered to pay rent for families in need, for a full year," says Pope Francis. </p><p>"In the shoes of the other, we learn to have a great capacity for understanding, for getting to know difficult situations," Francis <a href="http://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/02/28/pope-francis-says-give-homeless-dont-worry-about-how-they-spend-it-lent">said</a>.</p><div><figure><a href="http://en.jrs.net/news_detail?TN=news-20140923125946" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001.JPG" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001_GH_content_550px.JPG 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001_GH_content_650px.JPG 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001_GH_content_750px.JPG 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001_GH_content_850px.JPG 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/POPE_2013_CentroAstalli_001_GH_content_950px.JPG 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="http://en.jrs.net/news_detail?TN=news-20140923125946" target="_blank">Jesuit Refugee Service</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Pope Francis has already been heralded as a <a href="https://www.shared.com/pope-francis-says-abortion-can-be-forgiven-2103191028/">more progressive</a> religious leader who is breaking the long-standing Catholic reputation of being exclusive and judgmental.</p><p>Do you agree with Pope Francis' recent statements on helping the homeless and refugee populations?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>