Neither residual nor massive: X-ray of the Church in Catalonia

BarcelonaThe Catholic Church in Catalonia has lost strength in recent decades, but retains a notable vitality and symbolic weight. In fact, 57.2% of Catalans identify as Catholics – five points more than twelve years ago – according to data from the latest CEO religiosity barometer, from 2023, although practice is another matter. How is the Church doing in such a secularized society? Is there a resurgence of faith?

The theologian Francesc Torralba, a member of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, maintains in ARA that "it is noted that the Church is a factor of social transformation and helps the vulnerable with a social force basically made up of women." However, with fewer faithful at mass and being an institution "less clerical," because there are also fewer priests and seminarians. "There are priests who manage a lot of parishes," he says. This forces the arrival of foreigners: there were 46 seminarians in 2024, while in 2020 there were 90 and in 2010, 114, according to episcopal data. There are 1,248 priests, 300 fewer than seven years ago.

"This is a difficult moment that requires commitment. Believers must be credible; the Church is declining because we have not been faithful enough in our daily lives," points out Sister Lucía Caram, who does not see "a return" of faith. At the same time, the director of the Catalunya Religió Foundation, Jordi Llisterri, emphasizes that, despite having gone through "discredit, pedophilia, and the disappearance of the religious fact, it is one of the institutions with the most influence," he concludes. In his opinion, the fact that "the Catholic religion still represents 60% of the population means that it is still very much alive."

The director of the Secretariat for Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, Father Carlos Bosch, points to "the interest of new generations" linked to "the desire for true answers." On the other hand, Sister Margarida Bofarull, of the Order of the Sacred Heart, assures that the institution "is aging in the clerical sphere" and that the laity are gaining importance in parish tasks and episcopal delegations, while awaiting a greater role for women, the pending task.

"The care role," with the commitment of ecclesial entities, is a key heartbeat for society. "The Church has done many things wrong, but if all the parishes and convents and all social action were closed, the country would be worse off," argues Llisterri. And it is that ecclesial entities, especially Cáritas and Mans Unides, assist 373,000 people.

Evolution

Only 7% of Catholics practice religion weekly, 29% with less intensity, and 64% never practice it – although half pray. Baptisms, according to data from the Tarragona Episcopal Conference over the last ten years and a study by Llisterri based on episcopal data, have gone from 81% in 1985 to 51% in 2005, and to 26.36% today. However, from 2023 to 2024, there was an increase of 1,355 baptisms, 10% more.

A less drastic evolution than marriages, according to Idescat: now only 8.6% are Catholic, eight points less than ten years ago, twenty points less than in 2008, thirty-seven less than in 2004, and sixty less than in 1994, when it was close to 70%.

The decline in steadfastness in faith is already perceived by the fact that in 2024 there were 14,190 baptisms, 9,375 first communions, and 5,478 confirmations. Llisterri points out that there is no "social pressure" and, in parallel, there is a certain youth resurgence with catechumens, those who are baptized as adults.

Conversions

Mossèn Bosch is responsible for fostering the arrival of faith among young people, who approach the Church "through networks or by mail" or "in some celebration" and "an attempt is made to offer them a path". They are "young people born into a post-Christian society who have not participated in the life of the Church [nor were they baptized] and see possible answers to questions" through faith. Hence the growth: this year there are already 327 catechumens registered in Catalonia, 89 more than last year, 126 more than two years ago and double that of 2022. It used to be almost anecdotal.

According to Bosch, "the previous paradigm was to go from belief to belonging, now it goes from belonging to belief". The "new evangelization" is based on "fidelity to tradition and creativity for new challenges". Catechumens have soared in France, where there are 4,000.

Bofarull adds that in the resurgence among young people, some "approach seeking identity in a globalized world" and many "start from a great ignorance". But, statistically, "the rebound is not large", in his opinion, and Torralba adds that it is a certain "emergency" rather than "a Catholic spring".

Retreats

At the same time, spiritual retreats like Effetà are growing, "an intra-ecclesial phenomenon", according to Torralba, who also says there are more non-Catholic retreats. The proliferation of these retreats does not mean that young people "get involved in parish or social tasks", says Torralba. Sor Lucía Caram assures: "There are new uncommitted spiritualist movements, but churches are increasingly empty and social commitment comes from the elderly". She also sees it in her foundation at the Convent of Santa Clara, with 200 volunteers.

Llisterri comments that "the majority of young believers continue to be linked to the Catholic world", despite secularization. The lowest Catholic percentage is among young people: between 16 and 24 years old it is 36.4%, while those over 64 years old it is 83%. "The growing spiritual dimension links with the religiosity of the elderly", she synthesizes.

Language

Another thorny issue for the Church is language. The president of the Lliga Espiritual de la Mare de Déu de Montserrat, Joan Maluquer, laments a "castellanization" of the Church in Barcelona, like Father Cinto Busquet. Llisterri relates that "it is true", despite the general problem of social use, that there is "pastoral laziness" towards outsiders, unlike in the seventies. Bofarull, who is the delegate for culture of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, claims that "faith is embodied in the country" and that Catalan must be central.

Pedophilia

"The Church has sin, they must redeem themselves from abuses", says Bofarull. This is what Pope Leo XIV will do, who will meet with victims of pedophilia in private meetings during his visit to the State. In Spain there have been 1,131 complaints and a thousand accused of pedophilia according to the Episcopal Conference, although the Ombudsman raised the victims to 440,000 in the religious sphere, 234,000 of whom are priests. The State and the Church reached an agreement for compensation for a scourge that is still deep.