Mossèn Carles Cahuana: "Am I the most approachable priest in Catalonia? No. But I'm the one who appears closest."

BarcelonaIt's the most understated ratings leader on television. Two Sundays ago, the mass he broadcasts on La 2 garnered a 15.4% audience share, a figure many media stars would envy. Father Carles Cahuana has been officiating this service for 12 years, in a program he launched in 1982, making it the longest-running Catalan-language television show.

She studied politics at university. When did her true calling come into play?

— Even as a young man, I had considered the possibility of becoming a priest, although when you reach a certain age, 17 or 18, the idea of ​​a lifelong commitment can be daunting. I was very interested in international politics and staying up-to-date with current events, so I studied at the Autonomous University. But my work as a catechist in the parish kept making me reflect on my vocation. Finally, at the age of 24, I entered the seminary.

How did you get the offer to present the mass on La 2?

— My predecessor, Father Manel Valls, had been doing it for 21 years and had requested to retire, so the bishops considered finding a replacement. A few years before this, Canal Català, which grouped together local television stations, began broadcasting daily Masses, Monday through Friday, and I was one of the presenters involved. They were surprised by the audience success, because the resources were very limited. I suppose they wanted a replacement who lived near Sant Cugat and already had some experience.

Is the mass broadcast live?

— Yes. We celebrate Mass, not a program. We celebrate Mass live, like everyone else, and it just so happens that it's broadcast.

The other day he had over 80,000 worshippers on the other side, according to the audience measurement devices. That's far more than any other priest in Catalonia, no matter how big the cathedral is. Does it intimidate him?

— People sometimes tell me, "You seem so calm!" But I'm really feeling it inside, that's putting it mildly. I suppose if I were in front of a real audience... I mean, I imagine saying Mass in front of a nearly full Camp Nou—my voice would be shaking! But since you can't see them, it makes it a little easier.

Is it different to hold a mass for television?

— At the parish, I don't have to worry about time, and it's not a matter of five minutes, whereas on television I know there's a point where the broadcast has to stop because it's shown in Catalonia as a regional feed. I know I have to finish the homily five minutes before the hour, and I have a small clock to guide me. It's also happened that, on occasion, they tell me: add two more minutes. Then I have to fill in the gaps, but I already have some resources prepared or news items selected.

Commenting on the news is delicate. What is your editorial line?

— Mass is not a place to discuss the news, nor are we a current affairs program, but at the same time, the homily and the celebration itself are lived in the present moment. We cannot think of it as a celebration disconnected from everything, because what makes sense is for the word of God to take root in some way in what we are experiencing. When the train accident occurred, it would have been strange if, from the perspective of faith, no reference had been made to it during a celebration of the Eucharist.

Does someone proofread his scripts, so we're clear?

— No, no, not at all.

Neither from the bishopric nor from RTVE?

— I have complete freedom. There has never been any kind of censorship.

And any subsequent calls touching his bark?

— No, no, I haven't had that problem. Look, you try not to create those kinds of situations, and you're aware that there are delicate issues or topics you don't quite know how to approach. In the end, we try to make our message one of unity, not division or imposing an opinion. I have my own opinions, but I don't think Mass is the place to express them. That would be taking advantage of the situation, and I wasn't hired to be a pundit.

I suppose he knows that other media-savvy priests don't have his prudence.

— Yes, yes, yes. I don't want to judge him because it's not my place to do so... But television, and the reach it gives you, demands—I won't say neutrality, but certainly maximum objectivity. And we need to focus on what we're doing.

How can you explain its huge audience?

— At first glance, you might think: well, ordinary people, a mass... It's often said to be boring, something from the past, isn't it? It lacks elements of surprise, like the rest of television, which does things to attract viewers and be entertaining. We don't do any of that, but perhaps that's the point: in our case, what we offer is the same old thing. The ritual. It's like birthdays: if someone tries anything new, at some point they'll be told to bring out the cake and candles.

Do the parishioners who look at him tell him anecdotes?

— I remember the testimony of someone who told me that their father would ask them to help him get ready before the televised Mass. He wanted to be well-dressed, in his Sunday best. And there he was, on his sofa, dressed in his Sunday best. Others lay out a tablecloth on the small table in front of the television and light a candle. Some even place a photo of their deceased husband or wife there, because they used to watch the Mass together and now they can't. These are details that may seem insignificant to the world, but they show that this Mass program is not just any ordinary program.

What kind of audience does it have?

— Mostly large. But there's also an audience I call indirect: people who care for the elderly, for example. We hold the Mass thinking primarily of those who can't attend and for whom watching it on a screen brings comfort and peace.

Beyond older people, some prisoners also watch it, for example.

— Yes, yes. Although there is a pastoral service in prisons, after the pandemic we noticed a significant improvement in this area. And sometimes they send us letters. I remember an inmate from Quatre Camins prison who wrote us a very nice letter, where he told us about the Virgin Mary they had at the prison. And they appreciate it when you greet them from Mass.

In fact, they also read greetings that arrive by email. It's another thing from old television, from when people greeted each other on the radio and made dedicated records.

— This also came about as a result of the pandemic. Many people had lost their grandparents and hadn't been able to have a burial or do anything else, so they started sending requests to see if we could offer them a Mass. And people also came to us saying that their grandfather or grandmother watched us every Sunday and that we would make them happy if we wished them a happy birthday. We appreciated it, but it was a delicate matter. If we didn't set limits, we'd spend half an hour reading names! In the end, we applied the criterion of reading for the deceased, keeping a limit on the number of names, and offering birthday wishes to those who turn 90 and older. Besides, this makes sense from a pastoral perspective, doesn't it? When we wish an elderly person a happy birthday, we're sure to have ten other people watching on television that same day: grandchildren, nephews and nieces... So if the word of God reaches them, then by all means, let them.

The indirect audience, indeed. He is the most-watched priest in Catalonia: I don't know if this inevitably entails the temptation of vanity.

— I don't see myself as the star. I have many flaws, but I'd say this one isn't too bad. The moment the Church decides someone else should do it, I'll be delighted, because we're here to serve. We don't want to be the stars of anything in any way. Now, for me, it's an honor. And it's true that the television format brings people closer, brings the person on screen closer. In our churches, we celebrate Mass, and the nearest person is three meters away, if we're lucky. But people see me at home, with the television screen much closer, on 40- or 50-inch screens, which make me look much older when they do a close-up. So, am I the most approachable priest in Catalonia? No. But I'm the priest who appears closest. And that's not my doing, but television's.

— The day after the changeover, will he miss having so much preaching? From 80,000 parishioners at one point, he might just drop to 80, if he's lucky.

— I think about it, but in the end, the televised Mass is just one more, because like the other priests, I also celebrate Mass in the parishes. There are Sundays when I've celebrated Mass here at nine in the morning, the televised Mass at eleven-thirty, another at noon in the parish, and a fourth at one in the afternoon.

With the same idea all four times?

— The same idea, but with different applications. For me it's easier in the parish, because I have more feedbackYou see people and you have more control over your reactions. You know who you're talking to and you understand them. On television, on the other hand, I always try to speak with the first-time listener in mind, someone who isn't a churchgoer.

The culminating moment of the Eucharist is receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. Forgive my ignorance: does receiving Communion via television have the same validity?

— The value of Mass is irreplaceable, because its very purpose is an encounter not only with God but also with our brothers and sisters. And, therefore, this is what calls us to a meal. And a meal, for the time being, cannot be virtual. So, it's true that many people face difficult circumstances, whether due to age or because they can't go out and have no one to accompany them. Although sacramental communion is not possible, spiritual communion is. It's not the same, but it helps. It's like watching a Barça-Madrid match at the stadium or on TV. You'll see it better and more comfortably on a screen, but if you're given tickets... you don't think twice.

Is that a yes or a no?

— To answer the question directly: for those who can't attend Mass, let's say yes, we are fulfilling the Sunday obligation in some way. But it's primarily intended for these specific circumstances. In any case, Mass itself has an evangelizing function regardless of whether one attends or not. The message can reach people, and it can do so effectively. Since we're talking about television: there will be television programs that are game shows through which we learn about culture. Or debate programs. But I ask: in which program am I going to hear explicitly that I should forgive? Or that I should step outside of myself a little more and dedicate time to listening to or visiting that friend I haven't called in a while? In fact, I'm convinced that a daily Mass in Catalan on television would work, because there's only the one on Channel 13, in Spanish.

Without questioning the merits of these behavioral precepts, the left questions whether a public medium like Spanish Television, in a secular state, should include a Catholic mass.

— This has indeed been questioned. The status of the Mass stems precisely from the international agreements between the Holy See and the Spanish state from 1979, which cover matters such as the well-known property tax exemption and the financial arrangements. One of the agreements stipulates that public television must guarantee airtime for the Catholic faith, just as it does for other religious denominations. Therefore, it's not simply a matter of the discretion of the board of directors of Spanish Television, nor of the government in power, but rather something more structural. When people say this can be changed... well, it's not that easy. It would require renegotiating an agreement between the two states.

Now that we're talking about contests and debates, do you watch television?

— The truth is, no.

She's the first TV star I've interviewed who doesn't watch TV!

— I used to do it a little, but with my daily life... I just don't have the time. I'm more of a radio person.

And then do they look to you to polish something?

— No, I don't care. I've looked at it once or twice, but not usually.

When the ratings are published the next morning, he looks at them immediately, unlike all the other presenters.

— No, not really. I should, maybe! But we don't do it for an audience, although we do make sure it's technically sound, even if we don't strive for excellence. For example, since the hearts we have are free and most of them aren't professional, sometimes something doesn't sound as good as it should, but at the same time, it's a treasure we have and an expression of who we are. If something's a little off, it's not a big deal: I stumble myself some days.

We were talking earlier about politicization. A few years ago, his counterpart at Spanish Television, Juan Antonio Reig Pla, equated homosexuality, abortion, and prostitution with corruption and warned that practicing them led to hell. His message is more conciliatory, seemingly. How do these two perspectives coexist within the Church?

— There are very complex issues, and some things can't be reduced to a headline. These are important issues, life issues, and they affect happiness. Mass is the space it is, and I always think: be careful, because if what you say isn't going to be understood, it's better not to say it at all.

I would say that the problem in this case, or in some of Bishop Cañizares' homilies, is precisely that they are understood too well.

— We cannot renounce the truth of the Gospel, and it is true that the truth of the Gospel will sometimes provoke some discussion, but we must not be argumentative. We must ask God for the grace to present the message of the Gospel so that it is effective, without renouncing the truth. That is, that it is well received, avoiding causing offense, because it is not about hurting or offending anyone. I don't believe it was the intention of any priest to do so, but we must keep in mind that this medium, especially television, is also limited and does not always allow for a broader scope of reflection, especially on the big issues. In any case, the message is not meant to hurt. It should be an offer of happiness.

However, some positions are difficult to understand.

— I don't want to convince anyone, nor do I consider myself to possess any truth, but I do try to be faithful in transmitting what we have received from the Gospel. And yes, I believe in and value the Gospel, but it's also difficult for me as a human being because I'm not perfect. We are told to love others, and I should do so too, but I don't always love them completely. I should also forgive, but sometimes that can be difficult for me.

Does a priest have more or less doubt than a layperson?

— I would say just like anyone else. I can't say that I understand everything; that would be false, because God is much greater than all of that. In the end, the priest's first mission is to listen, to put himself in the other person's shoes.

As the presenter of a top-rated program, do you get paid by RTVE?

— I provide this service under an agreement between the bishops and Spanish Television (TVE), which pays me a salary for it. But it is the bishops who propose me and appoint me.

But is that a priest's salary or a TV star's?

— It's not even close to that salary. When I read how much some TV personalities earn, I think, "My God, how can they afford this?" No, no, in my case it's much less than what people expect. Much, much less.

In 2013, while serving as vicar of San Pedro de Octaviano, he was implicated in the expulsion of two lesbian girls from a parish youth group. Thirteen of the fifteen leaders then left the group in solidarity. Looking back, he wanted to know if he believes he could have handled the situation differently.

— Clearly, it's something that could have been handled better. It's also true that it was blown out of proportion, in the sense that it wasn't an expulsion. But it's true that it could have been done... Well, speaking for myself, I think I could have handled it better, and I apologize if what was done with the best intentions in the world to work with the youth group hurt anyone. And I don't mean that hypothetically; I mean it: I've always felt bad for the people who were hurt by it. Me too, you know? I'm not made of stone, and I care about people. It was a somewhat painful episode, for me as well.