The Círculo Ecuestre hosted the Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Juan José Omella, on Monday, March 9th, for a luncheon and discussion on current issues facing the Church and society in light of the imminent visit of Pope Leo XIV to Spain. During the meeting, Cardinal Omella shared his perspective on the current state of the Catholic Church and its position in the world.
The event was introduced by the president of the Círculo Ecuestre, Enrique Lacalle, and moderated by Enric Juliana, deputy editor of La Vanguardia. In his introduction, Lacalle expressed his gratitude for the Cardinal's visit, stating that it was a great honor to have him at the institution.
During the discussion, Cardinal Omella called upon Catalan society to give a grand welcome to Pope Leo, who will visit Barcelona next June to bless the tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Familia Basilica.
The Visit of Pope Leo XIV
One of the central points of the conversation was the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Barcelona next June, coinciding with the centenary of the death of the Venerable Antoni Gaudí. Cardinal Omella emphasized the importance of this event for the Church in Barcelona and Spain, recalling that the trip was initially proposed to Pope Francis after the inauguration of the Tower of Mary.
In this regard, Cardinal Omella highlighted the fact that the Pope plans to celebrate Mass at the Sagrada Familia Basilica during his apostolic journey, which will also take him to Madrid and the Canary Islands.
We Must All Build Peace in the World
Furthermore, in light of the numerous conflicts that have erupted around the world in recent months, the Cardinal called for everyone to work together for world peace. Omella reiterated that this peace will only be achieved through “dialogue, forgiveness, and mercy, and never through oppression.” At the same time, he also called for promoting dialogue in all aspects of life. Similarly, he commented on the political climate in Spain, urging the entire political spectrum to value the search for consensus in order to move towards a better society.
Finally, Juan José Omella also reviewed some moments of his tenure as Archbishop of Barcelona, emphasizing that in his 11 years in Barcelona he feels very happy and enthusiastic about the future of the Archdiocese. Along these lines, he called on all of Catalan society "not to lose the capacity for unity that forged the Barcelona of the 1992 Olympic Games," as well as the great entrepreneurial spirit and openness to the world that highlights in Catalonia.