Pope Leo Visits Spanish Prison
Pope Leo, a strong advocate for the dignity and rights of prisoners, visited one of Spain’s largest correctional facilities on Wednesday, encouraging inmates to take responsibility for their past actions and embrace the opportunity for personal transformation.
Addressing prisoners at the Brians 1 penitentiary near Barcelona, the first papal visit to a Spanish prison Leo stressed that a person’s past mistakes do not determine their future, but can become a foundation for change through better decisions and choices.
The first American pope is currently on a week-long visit to Spain, where he has spoken about the growing global crisis caused by escalating conflicts and has called for greater compassion and protection for migrants.
The highlight of his stop in Barcelona, the second destination on his three-city tour, will be the inauguration of the newest tower of the Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí’s iconic modernist basilica, which has become the tallest church in the world.
Brians 1 prison, located about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Barcelona and opened in 1991, houses approximately 1,000 inmates.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I haven’t been able to sleep at all,” said inmate Montse Benavente, who shared with the pope her journey of struggling with faith and the pain her actions had caused her family.
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Earlier in April, Pope Leo visited a prison in Equatorial Guinea during his four-nation African tour, where he endured heavy rainfall to meet inmates who pleaded for their freedom.
His predecessor, the late Pope Francis, was also known for his commitment to prison ministry and visited a prison facility in Rome just four days before his passing while recovering from double pneumonia.
An inmate identified as Mayte told El Mundo that the prisoners deeply appreciated Leo’s visit. “People forget about us,” she said. “It is very easy to forget those who are behind bars.”
Reuters
