The Pope remains stable and his prognosis is still guarded.– Supernatural Standing Committee of the Spanish Episcopal Conference met on February 25 and 26. During the sessions, the Spanish bishops prayed particularly for the health of Pope Francis. However, Monsignor Francisco César García Magán admitted in the press conference after the meeting that the Episcopal Conference has not sent a message to the Pope, but they expressed through a post on social networks that they wish to accompany the Holy Father with their prayer.
In addition to the health of Pope Francis, the Standing Commission has begun to define the pastoral guidelines for the period 2026-2030, with the president, Msgr. Luis Argüello presenting some preliminary ideas. The proposals made will be included in a first draft to be presented at the next Plenary Assembly, scheduled for March 31 to April 4. On the other hand, the current pastoral guidelines, contained in the document "Faithful to Missionary Sending", will remain in force until the end of 2025.
The meeting also discussed the application in Spain of the final document of the Synod "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission", with a summary presented by Bishop Francisco Conesa, who was a Synod Father. Like the pastoral guidelines, this topic will be studied at the next Plenary.
Commemorations
The Commission also discussed the organization of the ecumenical event to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which will include the publication of a declaration inviting to renew the faith of Nicaea. The draft text of this declaration will be reviewed by the bishops at next month's assembly.
The Episcopal Conference is also working on the commemoration of the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady to Sister Lucia in Pontevedra. For this purpose, the Archbishop of Santiago, Msgr. Francisco José Prieto, and the director of the Secretariat of Laity, Family and Life, Luis Manuel Romero, are preparing pastoral proposals and organizing reforms in the sanctuary where the apparitions took place.
On the other hand, the director of the Office for the Causes of Saints, Lourdes Grosso, presented to the Commission a project on holiness in the particular Churches, based on Pope Francis' letter of November 16, 2024. In that document, the Holy Father encouraged the celebration of the saints, blessed, venerable and servants of God of each particular Church.
Appointments and publications
The Standing Commission also approved the agenda for the next Plenary Assembly and a series of appointments, among them that of Bishop Santos Montoya Torres as the new Consiliary of Catholic Action of Spain, and Juan Antonio Pérez Mena as president of the Federation of Scouts of Castilla-La Mancha. Also approved was the joint publication between the BAC and the San Pablo publishing house of the book "The Bible. Escrutad las Escrituras.
Conclave rumors
At the end of García Magán's intervention, during the round of questions the journalists raised again the controversy of conversion therapies in the diocese. The response of the secretary general was that from the Episcopal Conference "we are against conversion therapies, but neither do we approve of affirmation therapies as an exclusive solution". In this sense, said the bishop, it is essential "to differentiate spiritual accompaniment from what is a therapy".
The issue of PRIVA (Plan for the Integral Reparation of Victims of Sexual Abuse) was also raised, which, the Secretary General affirmed "is working and the cases presented are being attended to. When a year has passed, the Commission will give an account of its work, until then no further information will be given".
Finally, when asked by several journalists about the Pope, rumors of his resignation and the possibility of an upcoming conclave, the Secretary General of the Spanish Episcopal Conference assured that "we are not in a pre-conclave period at all" and encouraged those present to continue praying for the Pontiff.
