The Archdiocese of Madrid will hold the upcoming February 9 and 10 the first Presbyteral Assembly in its history, under the name of Convivium, an encounter that will bring together the 2,619 priests of the Madrid presbytery to reflect together on their life, their mission, and the main pastoral challenges of the current moment.
According to the archdiocese itself, the assembly has been convened by Cardinal José Cobo, Archbishop of Madrid, and is preceded by a broad diocesan listening process in which more than 250 ecclesial realities have participated. Among them are 105 pastoral councils, 50 communities of consecrated life, 29 deaneries, 40 ecclesial realities, 35 priestly groups, and a group of permanent deacons, who have submitted their proposals and reflections.
The Communal Dimension of the Priesthood
The name chosen for the assembly, Convivium, refers to the communal dimension of the priestly ministry. In the convocation letter, dated November 17, 2025, Cobo recalls that the priesthood «is not fulfilled in solitude, but in community,» and emphasizes the importance of presbyters, together with their bishop, walking as a family and as a single presbytery at the service of the people of Madrid.
All priests of the diocese are invited to participate, including active presbyters, retirees, students, extradiocesan priests with positions in Madrid, and those who hold some pastoral responsibility.
Current Challenges of the Priestly Ministry
The convocation, addressed personally to each priest, represents an unusual initiative in recent Spanish ecclesial life: a broad meeting of the clergy to reflect and share on issues such as pastoral burnout, work overload, the process of secularization, the shortage of vocations, and the new demands posed by transmitting the faith to younger generations.
According to the archdiocese, reflection on these issues goes beyond the strictly ecclesial sphere, as it affects the human and relational care of those who, in many cases, play a significant role in moral and spiritual accompaniment for people of different ages, cultures, and personal situations.
A Process That Will Extend Over Time
According to the convocation letter, Convivium will not be limited to the two days of meeting. Throughout the month of January, pre-assemblies of the clergy will be held, organized by age groups, as part of a process that will include personal preparation, work in the deaneries, and subsequent follow-up in the diocesan pastoral bodies.
The goal is for the priests’ contributions to be translated into practical initiatives aimed at caring for the presbytery and strengthening the Church’s evangelizing action in Madrid.