Spanish state: Pope tour with “pastoral” mask

The visit of Leo XIV revealed the close relationship between the Catholic Church and state institutions. In a context of increasing secularization, tour reignites debate over privilege, Abuse, complicities and their public financing and the opposition of the Catholic hierarchy to important democratic and social achievements.

By Gérard Florenson and Rubén Tzanoff

The Pope on tour

Not just to see the world and mix with common people, but it has a mission because, despite the opulence of the Vatican, it faces many challenges. Not only are faith and religious practice declining, particularly among young people and in all countries (which is not incompatible with a minority form, but sometimes spectacular, of fundamentalism), but the competition is fierce, especially from the most reactionary evangelical churches, whose growth is supported by Trump.

further, in its historic strongholds in Latin America and southern Europe, observes with dismay that not only secularization is advancing, but that social struggles are making progress in women's rights—including abortion—, as well as those of LGBTQIA+ people.

France, Spain, Portugal and even Italy are “mission territories”, fortunately without conquerors or "warriors of Christ the King", but rather as at the time of the Council of Trent, when the people were invited to admire the beauty of the cathedrals built with their money and sweat, to contemplate beautiful images, to listen to liturgical music and to obey the priests in all matters of earthly life...

Blessings and thousands of faithful gathered

The Pope inaugurates the almost completed Sagrada Familia, and Gaudí is acclaimed (His fervent Catholicism does not diminish his talent in any way., Not even the instrumentalization of the Baroque makes us forget its artistic wonders), there is even talk of a possible canonization.

Leo XIV gathered crowds of faithful in Madrid and Barcelona, with significant media coverage. The problem does not lie there, although the complacency of the majority of journalists, who refrain from raising uncomfortable questions such as the real estate holdings of the Catholic Church, his undeniable misogyny, his rejection of LGBTQ+ demands, the abuse of children in Spanish churches and other reactionary positions that are never questioned, turns out surprising and outrageous.

The political class on its knees

But the most scandalous thing is that the vast majority of the political class bowed down to the Pope and that all the institutions collaborated in the financing of this event.. Although France was considered at the time the eldest daughter of the Church, This is still the favorite of the Spanish State. The Concordat signed with Franco in 1953, slightly modified in 1979, still guarantees you considerable privileges and income. As expected, the right supports him, but “progressive” governments are careful not to repeal it.

The Pope did not come to offer (in catalan, Spanish or Latin) the Vatican's apologies for its support of the “crusade” Francoist, nor to question the support of almost the entire episcopate for the military uprising. The desire of the Catholic hierarchy to impose its particular morality on the entire society is still very present. This has manifested itself in his opposition to civil marriage and divorce. (legalized in 1931 and then abolished by Franco), to secular education… Forced to retreat at the institutional level, still resolutely opposes – and the Pope was quick to remind us – the right to abortion, as well as marriage between people of the same sex.

But instead of denouncing all this hypocrisy, most of the so-called “left” politicians have multiplied their bows and enthusiastic comments, hoping that the Holy Father's words will unsettle some voters. VOX. What a brave man and what a good Pope, that calls for fraternity with our immigrant brothers and sisters, is open to dialogue and does not propose rekindling the pyres to purify the world of heretics, homosexuals and other horrors condemned by their Church!

The position of the “Catalanists” was also regrettable., willing to attend mass if it was celebrated in Catalan. What a fascinating topic., certainly more than housing (although the Church is a great landlord), salaries and job insecurity! The Generalitat and Barcelona City Council (PSC) They were very generous during the papal visit, more attentive to the demands of the Church than to those of the teachers who are in struggle and mobilized with visits and everything!.

These false socialists and pseudo-Catalanists have even betrayed the traditional republican program, the democratic demand for the complete separation of the State and public institutions from the churches, which requires the abrogation of the Concordat and the abolition of all financing, whether open or hidden, especially for private education.

Sensitivity towards immigrants? From words to actions

The words of Leo XIV about the suffering of migrants, The shipwrecks and the need for integration are the least that can be said about the racist barbarity of European governments and the dramatic reality of people desperately seeking asylum.. Nevertheless, The Pope avoids naming those responsible for this tragedy by name and surname.: the governments of the European Union, the European Commission and the States that support the “Fortress Europe” policy, responsible for militarizing borders, finance deportations, outsource expulsions and turn the Mediterranean and the Atlantic into mass graves for thousands of human beings.

While calling for solidarity and integration, The Church maintains an abstract criticism that does not consistently question the underlying causes of the migratory drama.. It does not denounce the economic plundering of Africa and other dependent countries by European multinationals, nor the role of imperialist powers in wars, the indebtedness and destruction of entire economies forcing millions to leave their homes. The words of compassion towards migrants thus contrast with the silence towards those who build walls, They finance detention centers and make the persecution of migrants a state policy.

The rancid institutions of the system

Definitely, The Church and the bourgeois State historically act as complementary pillars of the same social order based on economic exploitation and gender oppression., sexual and social. Through its institutions, laws and mechanisms of ideological influence, contribute to sustaining relations of domination that reproduce inequalities, discrimination and privileges for the dominant classes. Faced with the scourges of the capitalist system, it is necessary to fight for the complete separation between churches and the State, the elimination of all religious interference in public life, full equal rights for women and LGBTQIA+ people, and the construction of a society free of exploitation, oppression and reactionary ideologies used by the capitalist system to justify and perpetuate these forms of domination, that can only be a socialist society.