More than thirty Catalan personalities welcome Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Barcelona to spend the Holy Family in a manifesto published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that emphasize the Christian roots of Catalonia.
The text is signed, among others, former President of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol, the mayors of Lleida and Tarragona, the socialist Josep Àngel Ros and Félix Ballesteros, former parliament speaker and chairman of the board of the Sagrada Familia, Joan Rigol , the abbots of Montserrat and Poblet, Josep Soler, Josep Maria Alegre, the president of CiU, Artur Mas, the UDC leader, Josep Antoni Duran, the honorary president of ERC, Jordi Carbonell, the leader of CiU in the City of Barcelona Xavier Trias, the Constitutional Court judge Eugeni Gay, and President of ACC and former PSC member in Parliament, Josep Maria Carbonell.
The 36 signatories to thank the Pope to travel to Barcelona to spend the Holy Family, “one of the most emblematic buildings of the city and one of the great artistic wonders of the Christian world, and visit the Work of Nen Deu to” share Christian concern for the weakest. ”
Emphasize that Catalonia is a “conscience of the nation” has always been recognized by the Church, as evidenced by the episcopal document ‘Arrels Christians of Catalonia “, and emphasize their Christian roots has served for over centuries,” the Church in Catalonia have created culture, and culture have shaped the Church. ”
The personalities thirty signatories expect the Pope’s visit to Barcelona “praying with us and in our language” a milestone in the strength of the believers and be a stimulus for harmony.
CIVIL SOCIETY
The other signatories of the manifesto are the Abbess of Sant Pere de les Puel · les, Nin Gertrude, the abbess of Sant Benet de Montserrat, Montserrat Vineyards, the president of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, Miserachs Valenti, the general superior of the Missionaries Claretian, Josep M. Abella, the superior general of the Marist Brothers, Emili Turú and former superior general of the Piarist, Josep Maria Balcells.
So sign the president and vice president of the Religious Union of Catalonia, Cristina Martinez Muñoz and Maxim, the advisor of the Prefecture of Economic Affairs of the Holy See, Josep Maria Cullell, the International Chaplain Young Christian Workers, Josep Maria Romaguera, former Minister of Justice Nuria de Gispert (UDC), the former Director of Religious Affairs of the Generalitat Ignasi Garcia Clavel and Jordi López Camps, the rector of the Universitat de Lleida, Joan Viñas, and former rector of the Autonomous Barcelona Ramon Pascual.
The signatories of the manifesto are completed by the director general of the Foundation Tarrés Pere, Josep Oriol Pujol, former Ombudsman of Barcelona Pilar Malla, the president of the General Commission for Justice Peace i, Eduard Ibáñez, Vice President of the Fundación Joan Maragall, Pere Lluís Font, the director of the International Catalan Institute for Peace, Tica Font, the historian Josep Maria Riera i Benitez, the director of the Dictionary of Ecclesiastical History of Catalonia, Albert Manent, the director of ‘Questions of Life Christian’ Ramón Pla, and the chief architect of the Sagrada Familia, Jordi Bonet.