Archbishop of Tarragona Welcomes Pope Leo XIV

Joan Planellas hopes the pontiff's words will resonate with Gospel simplicity and depth.

Generic image of a bishop holding a rosary.
IA

Generic image of a bishop holding a rosary.

The Archbishop of Tarragona, Joan Planellas, has expressed his wish that the words addressed by Pope Leo XIV during his visit to Catalonia "resonate among us with the simplicity and depth of the Gospel".

A few days before the pontiff's arrival, Planellas indicated that his visit will invite the faithful to deepen their inner life, prayer, and listening. He highlighted that it will also be an opportunity to strengthen the Church's commitment to the most vulnerable groups.
The archbishop thanked the volunteers and all individuals involved in organizing the events. He also acknowledged the role of Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, attributing to him a significant part of the efforts that made the papal visit possible, as well as the work of Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona, David Abadias, and Father Enric Puig in coordinating the events.
Regarding recent reports of possible disagreements among bishops of Catalan dioceses, Planellas asserted that relations between the prelates are "excellent". He distinguished between the debate on the Church's challenges and the existence of internal disagreements.