THE POPE'S TRIP TO SPAIN
NEXT MONTH: AT A GLANCE
Two churches await the Pope
by Laura Daniele
Translated from
The Pope will be travelling more than 4,000 kms within 36 hours when he visits Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona on November 6 and 7.
These are two very vital dioceses for the Church in Spain which have not been paralyzed by the frenetic process of secularization assailing the Spanish Church, a phenomenon underscored by a cultural and social environment that is increasingly less Christian, and politically, markedly secular.
The Archbishop of Santiago, Julian Barrio, told ABC that the Church in Galicia
[region where Santiago is located], "is not immune to the contamination brought about by the culture of our time and which undermines our Christian roots. The virtual disappearance of Christian criteria is a reality that also means the loss of theological references".
Despite these difficult times, in which the median age of the clergy (67) is an indicator, and that it has only 600 priests to minister tgo its 1,073 parishes, the Church of Santiago enjoys an advantage among the other local churches in Spain: Santiago continues to be one of the principal pilgrimage destinations for the faithful from around the world.
"There is no way to quantify the spiritual wealth that comes from the penitence of the faithful - the number of confessions that are heard in all languages is remarkable, and a precious experience," the archbishop said. "The four daily Masses at the cathedral are always full."
Aware of the enormous possibilities for evangelization offered by this great Catholic shrine, famous since the Middle Ages, Mons. Barrio has been advocating further promotion and revitalization of the 'Jacobean tradition".
"This year", he said, "this commitment has shown marked progress. Not only are we setting historical records in the number of pilgrims who have come - half a million in August alone - but it has ths golden distinction of the Pope's visit, with a Mass to be held at teh Palaza del Obradoiro [fronting the cathedral housing the tomb of the Apostle}.
Likewise, the Archdiocese of Barcelona has not spared any efforts to 'reconstitute' what was once 'a very Catholic society' in what is now Spain's most secular city.
Josep Miró i Ardèvol, president of E-Christians and a member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, said that the proximity of Barcelona to highly-secular France "has made it more difficult for the Church in Barcelona, which despite this, continues to have a percentage of observant Catholics much higher than other regions in Spain (between 16-18% of those who identify themselves as Catholic)."
He adds that even the Catholic schools of the diocese have the highest enrolment in Spain, and that charitable work is carried out actively through a consolidated network of Caritas organizations at the parish level.
Moreover, the number of clergy, as well as the median age, is much better than that of Santiago. The diocese has 485 priests for its 214 parishes, and the median age of its priests is 57.
Barcelona's most emblematic chrch, the Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia, which Benedict XVI will consecrate on Nov. 7, plays a major role ine vangelization, according to the Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach.
"The beauty of Gaudi's church fascinates the Pope, who believes that contemplation of the church by the millions of tourists who visit it each year has the potential to bring them closer to the supreme Beauty that God is", the cardinal said.
Pope’s visit to Compostela
expected to draw 200,000
Unfortunately, CNA does not support its headline at all within the story itself...
Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Oct 28, 2010 (CNA) - Spanish Archbishop Julian Barrio of Santiago de Compostela said this week that he is “very satisfied” with the preparations for Pope Benedict's upcoming visit to the city. He noted that it will likely be many years before a Pontiff returns to the region.
“It’s true that His Holiness John Paul II was in Santiago in 1982 during his apostolic visit to Spain and for World Youth Day in 1989,” he recalled during comments after meeting with officials organizing the visit.
However, he continued, this will be “the first time” that a Pope “expressly comes to participate in a Holy Year, as Benedict XVI will do.”
“I hope there will be many more times, Lord willing, but it is likely that many years will pass before a Pope will be able to come to participate in an event like this,” the archbishop said.
Pope Benedict will visit Santiago de Compostela on Nov. 6.
The archbishop went on to say the Pope’s visit to Santiago during the Holy Year of St. James is of “great importance and transcendence, not only for the city, but for all of Galicia and Spain and the many people who will follow the broadcast on television and radio beyond the ocean.”
While Santiago has significance for Spain and Europe, the archbishop said, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit will highlight the city’s “universal dimension.”
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 29/10/2010 23:39]