MONTSERRAT, Catalonia, Spain— The second day of the papal visit to Catalonia began with an emotional visit to Brians I Prison, the largest women's prison in Catalonia and one of the penitentiary centers with the highest suicide rates in the region. In the prison chapel, the Pope was welcomed by Father Jesús Bel and several inmates, who shared with him their personal experiences and their journey of faith.
Among them, Montse recounted her story, marked by the loss of a child and the sense of abandonment often experienced by people deprived of their freedom. “Many times we feel forgotten. I have faced the silence of God,” she explained. Nevertheless, she said it was precisely in prison that she found a new meaning in life. “Here, the inmates help one another,” she added.
In his remarks, the Pope expressed gratitude for the work of prison ministry and emphasized the inherent dignity of every human person. “Every human being has dignity. The mistakes of life do not determine a person’s identity,” he told the inmates, urging them not to give up.
After the visit, the Pontiff traveled by helicopter to Montserrat Abbey, located 31.5 kilometers from the prison, where he was welcomed by thousands of faithful. Around 4,000 people gathered in Saint Mary’s Square to follow the vigil from outside the sanctuary. The event also included nearly 1,200 children gathered in the inner courtyard, whose paving is inspired by the Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo in Rome.
The Bishop of Sant Feliu, Xavier Gómez, and the Abbot of Montserrat, Manel Gasch, welcomed the Pope. “This is the home where we can build a world of peace,” the abbot said during his address.
The celebration had a strong Marian character. Forty-five years ago, Saint John Paul II also venerated the image of La Moreneta during his visit to the monastery, which this year celebrates more than one thousand years of history.
The Pontiff recalled that the walls of Montserrat preserve centuries of “devotion, gratitude, and hope,” as well as the witness of those who gave their lives for Christ. Much of his homily was devoted to denouncing the everyday forms of violence that damage social harmony. He warned against “criticism that humiliates, condemnation that destroys, and aggressiveness that divides,” and called on the faithful to abandon the “armor” that hardens the heart, allowing themselves instead to be transformed by the love of Christ.
The Holy Father urged people to renounce “hurtful words, hasty judgment, gossip, and slander” in every sphere of life—from the family to social media and political debate—so that “hatred may give way to hope and peace.” He reiterated the need for generosity toward immigrants, especially those who risk their lives crossing the sea, in the face of narratives that criminalize them.
