The number of people attending the Day of the Families in Torreciudad, northeastern Spain, has dropped for the second year to less than half of what it was two years ago.
According to the Shrine, only 3,000 people attended this year's 32nd Day of the Families in Torreciudad.
The
shrine, located in the north-east of Spain, was built under the
influence of Monsignor Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, and
was completed in 1975.
In July 2023, the Bishop of
Barbastro-Monzón, Mons. Ángel Pérez Pueyo, created a huge and
unnecessary conflict by appointing, for the first time, a rector of the
Torreciudad shrine who was not a member of Opus Dei. Since then, the Day
of the Family has been celebrated twice.
Some people claimed
that the bad weather was the reason for the low turnout this year, but
this is not true, writes InfoVaticana.com (23 September).
For
months, bus trips had been organised from different provinces of Spain.
Therefore, bad weather is not a sufficient reason to suspend these trips
when they have already been prepared and paid for in advance.
The
reality is that there are more and more people who do not want to see
the Bishop of Barbastro at this event, since he is the one who caused
the current mess.
Every year Torreciudad has invited a different bishop to celebrate the Day of the Family.
In 2022 the guest was the Bishop of Vitoria, Monsignor Juan Carlos Elizalde. Around 9000 people attended.
The previous year, Monsignor Mario Iceta, then Bishop of Bilbao, gathered around 8000 people.
For
the first time since the outbreak of the unnecessary conflict in
Torreciudad, a bishop [Mons. Ángel Pérez Pueyo] has presided two years
in a row. His presence caused a dramatic drop in attendance.
Last
year, the drop was significant, with 6,000 people attending (3,000 less
than the previous year), and this year Pérez Pueyo has halved the
negative record of the previous year.
During the Mass, however,
the tone was one of "cordiality" and mutual compliments and flattery
between Pérez Pueyo and the deposed Opus Dei rector of Torreciudad,
Father Ángel Lasheras, whose name the bishop was unable to pronounce
correctly during the Eucharist.
Picture: Torreciudad Sanctuary © wikicommons CC BY-SA, #newsOdioivzjzr