Vicente Martín, 55, auxiliary bishop of Madrid, has announced his plans for the Cathedral of La Almudena.
Martín
was consecrated bishop in July 2024, and in November of the same year
Cardinal Cobo appointed him dean of the cathedral's chapter.
The Chapter regarded this appointment as an imposition and a humiliation by the Synodal Cardinal, who showed his contempt for the Chapter, as if there were no other canons who could be dean.
One of Martin's plans is to set up "listening posts in the Church to receive and heal wounds".
It's
not a question of confession, but of appointing some women - it's
important that they are women - to receive, over a coffee, those who
want to talk about their lives in a psychologist's office, even though
the women have no qualifications in that regard.
Obviously, Cobo/Martín believe that "listening" does not take place in confession and that confession is "not enough".
"Since
psychological listening is [or was] in fashion, why not practise it in
the cathedral", comments InfoVaticana.com (27 January).
It is not known what clientele Martín expects to take advantage of the new service.
Picture: Catedral de la Almudena © wikicommons, CC BY-SA, #newsMrimhnkove