The Archdiocese of Madrid has publicly clarified that it is not linked to the event called «The Change 2026», an evangelizing initiative planned in the capital between April 27 and May 2. The archbishopric has stated that it has not given its consent for the organization of missionary activities in parishes or diocesan spaces related to this call.
In a statement issued by the Archdiocese of Madrid itself, it is explained that the initiative is being promoted by people outside the diocesan structure, in collaboration with a priest and an association led by a Portuguese evangelical pastor.
An event convened without coordination with the diocese
According to the information provided by the archbishopric, the diocese learned of the event when it had already been publicly announced and even spaces had been reserved for its development.
From the very first moment, the archdiocese considered it inappropriate to carry out the initiative, something that was communicated to the promoters.
Likewise, the archbishopric emphasizes that it has not granted authorization to carry out missionary activities in parishes or other ecclesial spaces, since the content of the activities was not previously presented nor was formal information provided about the people responsible for its organization.
An act of an interconfessional nature
The event «The Change 2026» is presented as an urban mission that would include evangelizing activities in the streets of Madrid between April 27 and May 1, concluding with a musical event on May 2.
The Archdiocese of Madrid has also pointed out that it is an initiative of an interconfessional nature. However, the statement specifies that the Delegation for Ecumenism and Interconfessional Relations of the archdiocese has neither participated in the organization nor been consulted at any time about the initiative.
The origin of the event: Lisbon 2023
The The Change project originates in Portugal. The first major edition was held in Lisbon in August 2023, in the context of the World Youth Day celebrated in the Portuguese capital.
On that occasion, the gathering brought together tens of thousands of participants in a large musical and evangelizing event that sought to promote the Christian faith in the public space.
The initiative was driven by the Associação Rodrigues Pereira and featured the participation of numerous artists and Christian leaders from various countries.
The participation of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
One of the features that characterized the gathering held in Lisbon was the collaboration between evangelical communities and sectors of the charismatic Catholic world.
In particular, the event featured the direct participation of CHARIS International, the Vatican body that coordinates the Catholic Charismatic Renewal worldwide. This entity described the gathering as an evangelization initiative prepared jointly by evangelical and Catholic Christians.
The diocese of Madrid marks distances
In the case of Madrid, however, the situation is different. The archbishopric’s statement makes it clear that the archdiocese has not participated in the organization of the event nor does it consider itself linked to it.
It also regrets that activities of this nature are convened within its jurisdiction without the necessary coordination with the diocesan pastoral care, which already stably develops evangelizing initiatives in parishes and communities.
In any case, the statement leaves some issues open. The archdiocese mentions the participation of a Catholic priest in the promotion of the event, but does not specify his identity. For the sake of transparency, it would be convenient to know who that priest is and what his exact role has been in the organization of the initiative.
Similarly, the archbishopric’s text states that «it was not opportune» to develop the event, although it does not clearly detail the pastoral or doctrinal reasons that have led the diocese to distance itself from the call. A more precise explanation would undoubtedly help to better understand the decision taken.