It was evident that this could not last. The Pope's trip to Spain has been a great success, due to the clarity of the messages —both spiritual and political—, the good organization, and the attention with which it has been followed everywhere. But this climate of intense call for harmony and work for the common good, from unity, will be linked internally with the memory of a period when the country lived trapped in a reality of continuous upheaval. Leo XIV, it is undeniable, has set the bar very high, as high as the cross that crowns the central tower of the Sagrada Familia. The key word of this trip has been dignity, the conception of the person as the holder of inalienable and non-renounceable rights, deserving of the utmost respect. I would like to believe that, for this reason, the applause in Congress lasted almost seven minutes, so that in the hemicycle there is a minimum common denominator regarding the relationship that the chamber should have with citizens.

The hosts that symbolize the body of Christ are made of wheat flour and water. And wheat has gluten. This means that a part of the population, coeliacs and those sensitive to gluten, cannot consume them. How do these people manage if they are devout? Well, the Church has not always made it easy for them.

This morning, one of the most politically charged events of the Pope's trip to Spain took place. For the first time in history, a Pope has addressed the Spanish Congress and Senate in a joint session. in the Pope's trip to Spain. For the first time in history, a Pope has addressed the Spanish Congress and Senate in a joint session.If I start from the end, I will tell you that his speech was met with nearly seven minutes of applause. And this, considering that Leo XIV today delivered the most doctrinal speech of those pronounced so far. For example, when he lamented to the legislators about the abortion and euthanasia laws:

God is Catalan. We have scientific and metaphysical proof. Even though we are far apart, there has always been a very good relationship. From km 0. The gas station philosopher Francesc Pujols creates God's first service station on earth: Catalan religion. "Because if having your own system is equivalent to having your own car, having your own religion is like having your own home." It is a natural, real religion, which is why faith here is everything that surrounds us. And Catalans are "compatriots of truth." The mission is to offer truth to the world: "Catalonia will link the two paths, material and spiritual, of humanity, in a cross, not of death, but of life, not of war, but of peace and moral progress." But war arrives. Catalan religion, Catalonia, found itself "between the flames of fire and the rivers of blood of the Civil War unleashed by the supporters of Spanish Spain against the supporters of Catalan Spain." Fire in the shack.

Seven days. Madrid, Catalonia and the Canary Islands. About twenty events and some 2,500 kilometers. This is the summary of the visit of Leo XIV, the third pontiff to travel to the State – the first was John Paul II and the second, Benedict XVI–. His journey began this Saturday in Madrid, where thousands of believers were waiting for him, many of them pilgrims, among whom he took a recurring crowd bath, after his first institutional event at the Royal Palace, some of the most central streets of the Spanish capital with the popemobile. His will be a religious and symbolic journey, but also with a high political content, as has already become evident in his first public speech: "I come among you to confirm, encourage and inspire a renewed fidelity of believers to the Gospel, as well as a deeper reconciliation and cooperation between the different forces" in the State, the pontiff expressed from the Hall of Columns of the Royal Palace and under the watchful eye of 250 people including institutional authorities and representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps.To call for "reconciliation" in Spanish politics, where for years confrontation has reigned, Leo XIV has even looked to the past: "Its own history suggests that it is not the culture of confrontation, but that of encounter, that generates stability and prosperity," he expressed in what was understood as an implicit reference to the Spanish Civil War. The kings, Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox, listened from the front rows. Before them, Leo XIV defended rowing against those who "gain popularity by feeding the fire of polarization." But he also looked to Pope Francis, his predecessor, whom he paraphrased to defend the "constant dialogue" between ideas and reality. Francis never visited Spain, unlike John Paul II and Benedict XVI, considered conservatives or traditionalists and whom Leo XIV has not cited. However, the popularity and influence of the former has always been higher in the State.

The arrival of Francis at the Holy See marked a paradigm shift in relations with Spanish political parties. While the Catholic Church in Spain still bears the imprint of the repressive role it played during Francoism, the previous pope's demeanor allowed fresh air into the institution, which in the last decade has shown greater alignment with left-wing parties. The Argentine pope's commitment to a Church more focused on vulnerable groups to the detriment of doctrinal matters – precisely those that separate them from progressive sectors – which his successor, Leo XIV, continues, has led Pedro Sánchez's government to establish the Vatican as an international ally against the rise of the global far-right.

Pope Leo XIV will land next Tuesday in Catalonia, a country with a strong link to the Holy See since its birth. Relations have had their ups and downs, especially when Catalonia had a voice and vote in the world, with the Catalan kings of the Crown of Aragon. After the disappearance of the Papal States in 1870, the great shift occurred with the Second Vatican Council. The bond, however, also raises a question: why does the senyera have the same colors as the flag of the Papal States?

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia aims to be an invitation to "raise our gaze" to boost the relationship between Catholics and to offer an approach to the Church for non-believers. The most crowded venue of the visit will be the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys, in an event that will gather 40,000 people and in which there will be surprising events, according to what the organization said this Wednesday at a press conference. Beyond musical groups, some with "international" impact, which have not been revealed, the secretary of youth pastoral care of the Church in Barcelona, Father Carlos Bosch, explained that "about fifty confession points will be set up for those who wish."

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia is the prelude to the changes of bishops in the Principality. Barcelona is the most important, but Tarrasa also needs to be renewed and, in the rest of the Catalan Countries, Mallorca. Juan José Omella, from Aragon in the Franja, landed in November 2015 at the archbishopric of Barcelona with the mitre he had from Calahorra. At 80 years old, five years past the normal age for the position, he will cease to be archbishop and the succession will be finalized this summer, after the pontiff's visit. Here comes Operation Barcelona: who are the best-positioned names? What role will Omella and the Pope play?

The Catholic Church has more than 1,000 alleged sexual abuse offenders. This has been acknowledged by the Secretary General and spokesperson for the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), Francisco César García Magán. In a press conference this Friday, the spokesperson for the Spanish Church admitted that they have 1,131 complaints collected over the last five years and a thousand alleged offenders. This is the first time the institution has acknowledged figures of this magnitude.

The Vatican has covered up thousands of cases of pedophilia in various parts of the world for nearly a century, according to an investigation by the German media outlet. Corrective, in collaboration with The Country and together with the international media The Boston Globefrom the United States, theObserverfrom Portugal andMacondo HouseFrom Colombia, in which they claim that "the Vatican has what is probably the largest archive of unpunished pedophiles in the world."

This week Pope Leo XIV has decided to award the medalPro Ecclesia et Pontifice Xavier Pomés (Barcelona, ​​1948), former Minister of Governance and the Interior in various governments of Jordi Pujol (1999-2002), has been honored for rescuing the finances of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Almería, which was on the verge of bankruptcy. He arrived there in 2022 on a complex mission that has proven entirely fruitful. The success of the president of the board of trustees of the Pere Tarrés Foundation has earned him the highest distinction awarded by the Holy Father, at the request of the Bishop of Almería, Antonio Gómez Cantero. The Vicar General of Almería, Ignacio López, explains in a conversation with ARA how Pomés pulled them out of the abyss in his role as diocesan treasurer: "He has done a spectacular job in a completely selfless way; he has given us a huge boost," he maintains. And he adds that "he didn't charge a penny": "Just look at the level of generosity." In numerical terms, Pomés's time in Almería has been a blessing; he explains that they had a debt of 25 million euros and that now it's only 5 million – the annual budget was five million and is currently six million. The situation had spiraled out of control and they were drowning: "We were approaching 900,000 euros a year in interest payments alone. We were selling assets and couldn't keep up," he concludes. The main loan was with Banco Santander for 11 million euros. Pomés's plan was accompanied by a godsend: an anonymous donation of ten million euros from a businessman, which contributed to reducing the debt, which is now twenty million euros less.

The actress and comedian Sílvia Abril has become a target of the far-right after making statements in which she criticized the Catholic Church. During her appearance on the red carpet at the Goya Awards, held this Saturday in Barcelona, Abril was interviewed by the magazine Cinemanía, which asked her about her favorite film of this edition of the awards. The actress opted for Sorda, but also spoke aboutLos domingos, the drama about a teenager who wants to become a cloistered nun. "I feel sorry that young people need to believe in something and cling to the Christian faith. I'm sorry for the Church, but what a kiosk you have set up. It's over, get out," said Abril, who argued that she preferred Sorda because she found it more "necessary" than Alauda Ruiz de Azúa's film.

"It has been a complex, arduous, tough, and long negotiation, but we have reached the point we wanted, and we are more than satisfied." This is how the Spanish Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, described the negotiations with the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) and the Spanish Conference of Religious to reach an agreement for the "reparation and recognition" of victims of abuse within the Church. "Today, an indisputable step has been taken that brings justice," the minister emphasized during the presentation of the agreement's details this Thursday morning. Bolaños explained that the pact "meets all the requirements set forth by the Ombudsman" and establishes a joint system, between the State and the Church, to define how these compensations should be provided. Thus, a commission will be created to which victims can submit their requests for reparations, and these requests will be forwarded to a victims' unit, led by the Ombudsman, who will decide what reparations are appropriate in each case. "It can be economic, moral, psychological, or restorative reparation, or even all four at once," the minister explained. Once the compensation is defined, developed on a case-by-case basis, the proposal will be presented to both the victim and the Catholic Church, who will have to decide whether to accept it or not. If the parties agree, the proposal will be binding. Bolaños also emphasized that "of course" all reparations will be "paid for by the Catholic Church": "The State will not pay a single cent," he stressed. A prominent role for the Ombudsman

Conversely, if the Ombudsman's proposal does not satisfy either party, a new joint commission will be formed, which will also include victims' associations. This commission will work together to reach a consensus agreement that all parties consider fair. "If there is still no agreement in this second instance, then the Ombudsman's decision will prevail," the minister explained. "Thus, it is clear that the compensation will be decided by the State [the Ombudsman] and the Church will be the one to pay," he emphasized. Furthermore, the financial compensation will be tax-exempt, both for amounts agreed upon from now on and for those already received.

]]>

The small Romanesque church of Santa Bárbara de Pruneres, in the Alta Garrotxa region, became a space dedicated to science and history. During a well-attended gathering held on a Sunday in mid-October, a piece of whale rib, approximately two meters long, was the object of veneration and analysis by a team of archaeologists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), while more than a hundred worshippers witnessed the scene. The immense bone was taken down from the side chapel where it has been displayed since 2004 and placed in the center of the altar, from where the UAB scientists ceremoniously extracted samples for analysis.

]]>

The Vatican may accept the resignation of the Bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta, Rafael Zornoza, after he was implicated in the First case of alleged pedophilia within the hierarchy of the Spanish ChurchOn Monday, the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), Luis Argüello, met for the first time with Pope Leo XIV and, after the meeting, confirmed that the Pope is "informed" about the case. The president of the Episcopal Conference also explained that the Vatican could accept the resignation that Zornoza submitted fifteen months ago, upon reaching the age of 75, the retirement age for clergy with a certain level of authority in the Catholic Church. "It is a matter for the Holy See, and we have been told—not by the Holy Father directly—that the resignation could be accepted soon, but we don't know when or how it will be formalized," Argüello clarified. The Archbishop of Valladolid also emphasized that "it is the Holy Father's signature that can accept or reject a resignation and that appoints successors"; therefore, he said, Leo XIV must be fully informed. When asked about the slowness of these types of processes within the Vatican, Argüello defended the practice, stating that "processes in general are almost always slow because they prioritize due process." The Bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta is being investigated by the Holy See following a complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting a minor between 1994 and the early 2000s, when he was serving in Getafe. According to the victim, who sent the complaint by mail to the Vatican this summer, the abuse allegedly lasted for nearly seven years, from the age of 14 to 21. At that time, Zornoza—now 76—was the director of the seminary in the Diocese of Getafe.

The leadership of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) arrived at the Vatican ahead of the 128th Plenary Assembly, the first to be held since Leo XIV became Pope. During the official visit, the Spanish bishops also met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, with whom they discussed the need to strengthen the trust of victims and talked about the development of the ideas competition on the future of the Valley of the FallenParolin had already discussed these issues recently with the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV reinforced his message of firmness in preventing abuse on Monday. In a statement, the pontiff emphasized that "building communities where the dignity of every person, especially minors and the most vulnerable, is protected and promoted" is a desire very close to his heart. This stance comes after several meetings with abuse victims. On November 8, Leo XIV met for almost three hours with a group of Belgian victims, and on October 20 he received representatives of the Global Board of Victims of Abuse (ECA), which brings together survivors from more than thirty countries who have suffered abuse at the hands of the clergy.

]]>

Evangelical or Protestant churches in Catalonia have more than doubled in the last two decades. While there were 341 in 2004, last year ended with 889 places of worship, according to the count by the Directorate General of Religious Affairs of the Department of Justice. Despite the rapid increase in spaces dedicated to this faith, the Barometer on Religiosity and the Management of its Diversity does not show a similarly significant increase in the population that identifies with this faith, which also has many branches, denominations, and internal currents. The latest data in Catalonia, from 2023, indicates that 3.6% of the population belongs to this faith. Sources consulted by ARA, including both experts and people involved in the evangelical movement, see different reasons behind this increase. The General Directorate of Religious Affairs attributes this to immigration from Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and some Eastern European countries, but also points out that "part of the Catalan population may have been attracted to the more experiential and straightforward forms of evangelical worship." They cite the Roma population as an example.

]]>

Last March, the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) decided to acquit former footballer Dani Alves of a crime of sexual assault. A few months earlier, the Barcelona Court had sentenced him to four and a half years in prison concluding that he raped a young woman in the restroom of the Sutton nightclub on December 30, 2022. However, the higher court overturned this sentence, which is now in the hands of the Supreme Court, the final stage of the judicial process, after the Prosecutor's Office and the private prosecution appealed against it. At the moment, they are still studying the appeal.

]]>

The silence of the Valencian Church on the management of the Valencian government during the DANA and about the constant attacks against Catalan It's deafening. Almost a year has passed since the cold drop in the Valencian Country, with management questioned and judicially investigated, but the silence has become a reprehensible complicity, according to some grassroots Christian groups consulted by ARA. The Valencian Church has also not promoted Valencian in masses and, in particular, in the liturgy, despite the promise of the Archbishop of Valencia, Enric Benavent. It remains residual and there are hardly any changes in the use of the language compared to the regime of Francisco Franco. In fact, Benavent spoke out this Thursday about the cold drop, calling for "fighting so that the common good is more important than our ideas" and on other occasions he had called for "unity" and not "instrumentalizing" suffering and misfortune, but without going into management.

]]>

Opus Dei's number two, auxiliary vicar Mariano Fazio, was formally accused of trafficking women for thelabor exploitation within their religious order in conditions of semi-slavery, a practice that Opus Dei allegedly committed for four decades in Argentina. This is stated in the eight-page document to which access has been obtained. ElDiario.es, within the judicial process opened against the highest leaders of Opus Dei in Argentina. Opus Dei –that is, the number two in the order worldwide– and lives in the Vatican, asks to be charged along with four leaders of the order in the country who had already been accused. The request was sent on June 11 to federal judge Daniel Rafecas by prosecutors Alejandra Mángano_ initially included in the indictment, which did charge the three priests who had held the same position as him in previous and subsequent years: the former regional vicars of Argentina Carlos Nannei (1991-2000), Patricio Olmos (2000-2010) and Víctor Urrestarazu (2014) female member of Opus Dei in Argentina, Gabriel Dondo. Fazio had also been a regional vicar between 2010 and 2014.

]]>