The Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) is promoting the collection of donations and in-kind contributions to cover the expenses of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming trip to Spain through the website conelpapa.es, since—as explained on the portal—the visit “receives no funding from the State”.
Although the Vatican and the CEE have not yet confirmed the official date, the Archbishop of Tarragona, Joan Planellas, has announced that the Pontiff will visit the country from June 6 to 12, with planned stops in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.
For his part, the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, stated on La2Cat that the Pope will officiate two masses during his stay. One of them at the Sagrada Familia, possibly on June 10, the centenary of Gaudi’s death.
Donations, In-Kind Contributions, and Volunteering
On conelpapa.es, the CEE encourages the faithful, companies, and foundations to collaborate through donations to cover the logistical and organizational costs of the planned events in the different venues. It also requests in-kind contributions—such as workspaces, signage, or screens—and the participation of volunteers to support the preparation and development of the activities.
The portal also considers the possibility for individuals to offer accommodation to those traveling from other regions to participate in the events linked to the trip.
Fund Management and Institutional Collaboration
The CEE highlights on the website that the organization of the trip will be carried out in a “sober” manner and that all funds raised will be managed with “responsibility and transparency”; once the visit is concluded, the accounts will be audited and public accountability will be rendered on the use of the collected resources.
Ecclesiastical sources have also indicated that, although the visit will not have direct state funding, public administrations can collaborate by providing logistical support, infrastructure, and security measures.
In addition, the portal recalls that previous papal visits to Spain—such as those to Santiago and Barcelona in 2010 or the World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011—had positive effects on the economic and social fabric of the host cities.