THE CHURCH AND THE SECESSIONIST CRISIS IN CATALONIA

Catalonia declared independence from Spain on October 27.

The local Church finds itself in the middle of the fray and is as equally divided as the broader social climate throughout the region. 

The unity of the country is at stake, as is the political survival of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who’s had to fight off Catalan pressure before. 

Five years ago, Rajoy also found himself trying to put out separatist fires when an economic crisis, coupled with resentments over Catalonia’s tax contributions to poorer regions, bolstered the secessionist movement.

Hoping to ward off a constitutional crisis, the Spanish Bishops issued a statement, avoiding taking a position on Catalan independence. 

Read by Cardinal Ricardo Blázquez of Valladolid, President of the Conference, the message instead is an appeal to dialogue amidst the “grave” situation.

But the Church itself is not of one mind.

Pope Francis has publicly referred to the crisis stating:  “Every division worries me."

The Holy Father distinguished between independence for emancipation, as was the case of the American continent, which emancipated itself from Great Britain, and independence by secession, which he called “a dismemberment.”  

“The secession of a nation without a precedent of forced unity has to be taken with many tweezers and analyzed on a case by case basis,” the Pope said.

While the Bishops of Catalonia have remained impartial, urging Catholics to pray for Catalonia in this “delicate moment,” , some Priests in favor of secession have taken to the pulpit or communication agencies to have their say.

Spain's Senate is expected to approve a federal takeover of Catalonia's regional government.  Some members of the secessionist movement already have been arrested.

Whatever the government in Madrid does, the sense of separateness that many Catalans feel from the Spaniards with whom they share a nation-state will not be extinguished. That is partly because it is a very old and seasoned sense, and one that has survived through long spells of Spanish suppression. 

How and why did Catalonia become part of Spain the first place?

Catalans see themselves as always having been more entrepreneurial and modern than Castilians, whom they see as more concerned with power and religion and honor and purity of blood.  

In the 12th century, a largely independent Catalonia was subsumed into the Kingdom of Aragon, through a dynastic union (when royals arrange a marriage as a way of merging territory, or forming an alliance). Catalan interests dominated that union, and trade in the Western Mediterranean was largely their domain. 

A few hundred years later, another dynastic union merged Aragon with Castile. After a series of minor conquests, the Spanish state roughly assumed its modern borders.

Since then, Catalonia has been a linguistic minority in a country mostly populated and ruled by Spanish-speakers. Modern Spain has many other such minorities, including Galicians, Basques and Canarians. To differing degrees, they have each experienced suppression of their language and culture. Separatist movements have been born and quashed for centuries.

There is little hope of Catalonia’s independence movement surviving.

Still, the Spanish federal authorities need to understand that contemporary Catalan politics remains as divided as ever.  

While retaining its cultural distinctions, Catalonia has become more secular, as has much of the European Continent.  Its industry and vibrancy have been a major draw for people from other parts of Spain, Europe and elsewhere. 

From the late 19th century until about 20 years ago, Catalonia had by far the most advanced economy in Spain. In post-Franco Spain, Catalonia regained much of its lost autonomy, including its own parliament and police force.

During that same period of time, the influence of the Church has waned to the point of being irrelevant.

That the Bishops think they can exert any sway over the political minds and hearts of the people of Catalonia is remarkable. 

Perhaps, the best and most powerful contribution they can make is to pray that the present crisis be resolved with as little violence and bloodshed as possible.