Pope Francis takes control of Torreciudad conflict and ends the conflict between Catholics with the appointment of the Spanish president Alejandro Arellano Cedillo. The dean of the Tribunal of the Rota becomes Vatican representative at the sanctuary of Torreciudad, where he will discuss the current conflict between the diocese of Barbastro-Monzón and Opus Dei regarding the dispute over the regulation of this oratory in Aragon.
The Vatican was clear this Wednesday, through a statement of a few words in which it affirmed that “The Holy Father has appointed His Excellency Monsignor Alejandro Arellano Cedillo”. He thus designates him as “pontifical plenipotentiary commissioner” and “delegate of the Holy See for the Torreciudad complex” directly arbitrate the conflict between Opus Dei and diocese of Barbastro.
50 years of dispute
This dispute arose more than 50 years ago.during the inauguration of the sanctuary of Torreciudad in 1975 as an initiative of Escrivá de Balaguer as a place of pilgrimage. This sanctuary is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is property of Opus Dei. A property with which the priests of Huesca do not agree, who insist that it belongs to their diocese.
It is in the management of space that the tension currently lies: an administrative battle of Bishoprics against concentrated cash in the legal, canonical and pastoral regulation of Torreciudad.
It is Opus Dei which controls the site, economically speaking, and its arguments are based on the fact that it was they who built the sanctuary: this is why they consider it to be theirs.
None of this convinces the other group of Catholics, the diocese of Barbastro. Those who, for their part, claim that pastoral activity must follow what is stipulated by the bishopric.
We need to talk at this point about the Prelaturethe most desired wish of the brothers of Huesca. Concretely, the bishopric of Huesca plans to approve new statutes for the sanctuary, which would become diocesan.
In his attempts to increase control and management of Torreciudad, and seeing that no resolution has been found, two weeks ago The Bishop of Barbastro Monzón, Ángel Pérez Pueyo, asked the Holy See to intervene directly in this matter. A statement to which the Vatican responded with the appointment of Alejandro Arellano Cedillo.
Will this cleric be able to put an end to the differences between these brothers of the faith? This will not be due to preparation, since in judicial matters, Arellano acted as Deputy judicial vicar in the Archdiocese of Madrid and diocesan judge in the dioceses of Toledo and Getafe; In addition, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him prelate auditor of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota in 2007.
