The Pope in Barcelona
When I received the invitation to take part in the prayer vigil and Mass at the Sagrada Família with the Pope, I felt a great desire to pray with everyone, as the Church on its journey in Barcelona, and the CJ alongside it.
At the vigil, the entire prayer service was deeply moving, but for me, one of the most moving moments was when a replica of Gaudí’s Christ from the Sagrada Família was carried into the stadium by various people, including those who had shared, before an audience of over 40,000, their testimonies of broken lives, plunged into ‘meaninglessness’, and their transformation following a personal encounter with Christ. During the procession, the hymn repeated: … “Today I lift my heart to the One who won it, simply because You are God, … May You always be first …, I fix my gaze on heaven …, You are the only King who must reign …”
Seeing these young people accompanying Christ with such joy and emotion, I felt a deep desire to be transformed by Christ myself, so that I too might bear witness to his love.
And in the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, the very fact of being there was, for me, a true gift from God. The church, with the light and its reflection flooding everything, the music, the singing… made one feel the presence of the God of Beauty, present through the work of an architect who allows himself to be ‘built’ by God, whilst at the same time building the Sagrada Família.
The Pope’s homily called for a profound spiritual renewal founded on Christ. He referred to the living stones that we are within the Church. He also spoke of the temple “not as an unfinished work but as a temple under construction, reminding us that the Christian life is a journey, because it is a project that God is carrying out.
I hope these words resonate powerfully within us: ‘As we lift our gaze towards Him, the Crucified and Risen One, let us commit ourselves to lifting up the faces of those who lie in the dust. And let us thus show that the Sagrada Família is the tallest church in the world, not to stand out in worldly rankings, but to guide the steps of the pilgrim People of God on this land of Catalonia, with the cross illuminating the path, like a lamp burning brightly as we await the return of the Bridegroom. May God be blessed for ever!”
I feel that his words, wherever he went, are a true LIGHT on the path, inviting us to “lift up our gaze” and contemplate Christ, who takes upon himself all our weaknesses in order to heal them. And the CJ is invited to take part in this MISSION.
As for the inauguration of the Tower of Christ, with its sound and light show, there are no words to describe it. You have to relive it time and time again to gradually grasp its true meaning.
>> Explore the spectacular inauguration of the “torre de Jesús” at la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
SPAIN IN THE POPE’S EMBRACE.
Madrid as host city – a memory that still resonates
There are visits that are not measured by how long they last, but by the mark they leave on the soul. During those days, Madrid was not merely the setting: it was the heart of a great family that came together to celebrate its faith. Whilst our Church in Madrid had the joy of acting as host, the truth is that all the dioceses of Spain came together in a shared embrace. Every corner of the country was represented at that gathering, and every Spanish Christian, from north to south, felt that it was also their home that was welcoming the Holy Father, united in the same spirit, the same prayer and the same joy.
Like an echo that still lingers with us, we recall that invitation which became our motto:
I lift my gaze, my eyes upon Jesus
I lift my gaze, fixed upon the cross
When I look to heaven, all is new in His light
I lift my gaze
Compassion on the outskirts. It all began with a gesture that set the tone for the visit: turning one’s gaze towards those most in need. On Calle Cullera, Pope Francis visited the CEDIA Centre. There, amidst the simplicity of the neighbourhood, far from the glare of the big stage, the Holy Father reminded us that the heart of the Church beats where there is fragility and hope. It was a meeting marked by closeness, by clasped hands and by that disarming tenderness, reminding us that no one should be left behind.
For those who seek peace and freedom
So that they may find in your eyes a place to rest
For those who cross the sea
In search of a home
So that they may see beyond
The storm
The Youth Vigil. How could we ever forget that night? Young people took to the streets – a sea of voices, guitars and faces brimming with hope. Amidst that crowd, the Mary Ward Educational Foundation shone with a light of its own. Seeing so many pupils from every corner of Spain was a living lesson in unity. Young people who, with their joy, defied the fatigue and the heat, showing that faith is not a thing of the past, but a shared endeavour built with strength and a smile on their lips. It was a moment to feel, more strongly than ever: The Lord is my strength and my hope | I shall not waver (I lift my eyes) | He is the rock of salvation | In Him I trust and I do not tremble | In Him I trust and I do not tremble.
The centre of Madrid, in the Plaza de Cibeles, became an altar beneath the Spanish sky. The Eucharist celebrated there presented us with an image that will be hard to forget: a city in prayer, an awe-inspiring silence amidst the usual hustle and bustle. It was the moment when Madrid paused to acknowledge its centre, to give thanks and to renew its strength.
I am not made To look at the ground | When I look at you I know why I was born | You created me To look at the sky | I am restless until I rest in you
And, as the grand finale, the Bernabéu. That gathering was an enthusiastic outpouring from people of all ages, who felt heard and encouraged. In the stadium, the echo of the Pope’s words resonated not only in the stands, but in the life plans of each and every one present. It was confirmation that, even in a complex world, it is possible to walk together, making that promise our own:
I lift my gaze, my eyes upon Jesus | I lift my gaze, fixed on the cross | When I look to the heavens, all is new in His light | I lift my gaze
More than just a visit. Today, looking back, beyond the security measures and the logistics, what remains is the feeling. Madrid was transformed for a few days, not only by the presence of a public figure, but by the invitation to look upon our brothers and sisters, to live with hope and to celebrate our faith freely. Those days taught us a simple yet profound lesson: the importance of walking alongside one another, of being close to one another, and of always moving forward, step by step, with hearts ablaze.
THE CANARY ISLANDS, THE ISLAND THAT EMBRACED THE WORLD
Account of un unforgettable journey
The bells of our churches still ring out with a different, deeper echo, one full of hope. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Canary Islands ceased, for a moment, to be a mere dot on the Atlantic map and became the epicentre of human brotherhood. Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Canary Islands on 11 and 12 June was not merely an institutional event; it was a healing embrace for a land that often feels adrift between the vastness of the ocean and the complexity of borders.
In the port of Arguineguín, where so often we have witnessed the arrival of anguish and exhaustion, we saw a different perspective for the first time. The Pope did not merely listen to the stories of the pain of migration; he made them his own. Seeing the Pontiff walk amongst those who have defied death to reach a more dignified future, the Canary Islands realised that their suffering was not invisible. It was a moment of raw humanism, where politics gave way to the heart.
The images of the packed squares in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and La Laguna will remain etched in our collective memory, not because of the size of the crowd, but because of the respectful silence that preceded each of his words. “A city without walls,” is how the Pope described our archipelago.
That phrase, spoken beneath the skies of Tenerife, reminded us of what we sometimes forget: that our true greatness lies not in the volcanoes that shaped us, nor in the sun that bathes us, but in our age-old ability to act as a bridge, to be hospitable, and, ultimately, to be a home for those who arrive.
There was a palpable sense of emotion in the air. From the elderly who waited for hours in the sun with their rosaries in hand, to the young people who, though perhaps distanced from the faith, were moved by the message of unity. During those 36 hours, the clamour of tension that often dominates the debate about our social reality faded away, replaced by a moment of reflection, charity and connection.
Today, now that the hustle and bustle of the preparations has ceased and the flags have been taken down, something more valuable than the memory of the event remains: the mirror in which we see ourselves. Pope Leo XIV has gone, but he left us with a challenge. He reminded us that hospitality is the universal language of the islands. The Canary Islands are no longer the same after that June; they are a land which, having felt heard and understood, feels stronger to continue being, come what may, a refuge of humanity in the middle of the Atlantic.
Esther Villaoz y Amparo Martinez
