Tarragona Archbishop Joan Planellas has welcomed Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia, urging the faithful to live the visit in unity as the apostolic trip begins. He said he hoped the Pope’s words would resonate with “the simplicity and depth of the Gospel”.
Planellas said Pope Leo XIV would call believers back to the essentials, with Jesus Christ at the centre of personal and community life. He added that, in a time marked by speed, fragmentation and uncertainty, the Pope could encourage silence, prayer, listening to the Word of God and the sacraments.
“Only a Church rooted in the encounter with the Lord can truly become missionary,” Planellas said. He also said the Pope’s message would carry a call to social responsibility, with attention to the dignity of every person, especially the poor, migrants, people facing loneliness and those at risk of exclusion by a “culture of waste”.
Faith, he said, does not separate people from the world, but sends them into it as witnesses of fraternity, justice and peace. Around 300 faithful from the Diocese of Tortosa are expected to take part in a vigil with Pope Leo XIV in Barcelona.
Planellas thanked the volunteers and professionals involved in the visit, saying they had put in many hours of work to make sure everything goes well. He also thanked Cardinal Joan Josep Omella for his role in bringing Pope Leo XIV to Catalonia, saying Omella invited the Pope and opened Catalonia’s doors to him.
The archbishop also praised Auxiliary Bishop David Abadias and Father Enric Puig for their work, and rejected suggestions of division among Catalonia’s bishops. He said the dioceses based in Catalonia maintain an “excellent relationship” and invited the faithful to welcome Pope Leo XIV with unity and affection. More Catalonia news
