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Controversy over church parish transfer in Barcelona to Mémora Foundation

ERC and residents question the agreement between the Archbishopric and the funeral company for a space in the Olympic Village.

Generic image of a church with a modern extension.
IA

Generic image of a church with a modern extension.

The Archbishopric of Barcelona has agreed with the Mémora Foundation to transfer the Patriarch Abraham parish in the Olympic Village to create a space for end-of-life care and interreligious dialogue, sparking controversy.

The Archbishopric of Barcelona has generated controversy following the transfer of the Patriarch Abraham parish, located in the Olympic Village, to the Mémora Foundation. The agreement, announced in February, plans for the creation of a space dedicated to comprehensive support for people in the final stages of life and the promotion of interreligious dialogue. This initiative has not been well received by either ERC or the neighborhood's residents' association.
The Republican party (ERC) will submit a request at the urban planning commission, urging the municipal government, led by Jaume Collboni, to halt this agreement. According to ERC, the change in the building's uses, constructed by the Archbishopric on land ceded by the City Council following the 1992 Olympic Games, should require municipal approval. Lourdes Arrando, ERC councilor for the Sant Martí district, has pointed out that the land is municipal and that any substantial change in use requires transparency and the guarantee of general interest.
From the residents' association, president Jordi Giró has expressed his opposition to the Mémora project, arguing that the space should be an amenity for the neighborhood, such as a retirement home or assisted living facilities. Giró has also confirmed that they are investigating the land's registry status, which he considers municipal and initially ceded by the Olympic Holding.
The transfer to Mémora is for fifty years in exchange for an annual fee. The Archbishopric has indicated that, once the council's approval is obtained, the church will be deconsecrated and the building rehabilitated. The Barcelona City Council has stated that it will analyze the issue, as it involves various departments and complex documentation, and will respond during the urban planning commission meeting.
ERC, through councilor Eva Baró, argues that the new use does not align with the original purpose of the municipal land cession. Residents fear that the parish could become a funeral home, a possibility they believe could comply with the council's plan for funeral facilities, given the proximity of the Poblenou cemetery.
The Republican party insists on the need to preserve the public and community function of the space, in line with neighborhood needs and with the consensus of the local community. Arrando has recalled that the Archbishopric cannot do as it pleases with a building constructed on freely ceded municipal land, especially if there is a change of use, and has highlighted the lack of public facilities and protected housing in the Olympic Village.

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