We are migrants ministering to migrants

Fr Paul Samasumo - Barcelona

Since no Church in Barcelona can ever rival the architectural grandeur of Antoni Gaudí's Basilica of the Sagrada Família, locals nicknamed the parish of Sant Agustí the “Cathedral of the Poor." But there is a deeper significance to this nickname. Located at Plaça de Sant Agustí, this 18th-century Church has long served as a sanctuary for the working-class residents of Barcelona’s Raval district. That legacy persists today, but this time, tending to the needs of migrants from Asia, Latin America, and a few from North Africa.

The Augustinian Community in Catalonia

Fr. Dennis Pineda is the Prior of the Augustinian community in Catalonia and rector of the Parish of Sant Roc in Badalona. He leads the four-member Augustinian (OSA) team based at Sant Agustí in Barcelona's Raval district, where they hosted Pope Leo XIV this week. The Pope was there to meet with diocesan charities and other welfare organisations.

A day before the Pope's visit, Fr. Dennis shared with Vatican News that welcoming another Augustinian in the name of Pope Leo was ‘a source of immense joy.’” He referred to himself and his colleagues as migrants serving other migrants and ministering to those in need.

A multicultural parish

“This is a very particular Church and community, a truly multicultural parish in Barcelona,” Fr. Dennis explained. “We have people from different countries and nationalities. We provide space for them to celebrate their Catholic faith and to be one in faith. ‘To be one’ is, by the way, also our identity as Augustinians,” said Fr Dennis.

 He added, “Under this Church of Sant Agustí, we serve two parishes: the Filipino community and a broader congregation from various backgrounds. We serve Latino American communities such as Bolivians, Peruvians, Paraguayans, and others.”

Culture and devotions

Fr Dennis understands that when people from diverse nations come to the parish, they often feel nostalgic about their homeland. “When they arrive here, we welcome the diversity. We acknowledge that they miss certain devotions, saints, or Marian celebrations from home. Once a month, we dedicate space for their celebrations, where they can bring out the statues of their favourite saints, sing their hymns, play music, pray, and celebrate in ways unique to their cultures,” he explained.

“The thing is, although we are priests here, we know we are migrants ourselves,” the Prior emphasised. “We understand what it means to miss something from home. That’s what you find here at Sant Agustí.”

Fr. Dennis also highlighted the Soup Kitchen behind the Church of Saint Augustí, run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Kolkata’s Missionaries of Charity. The kitchen sometimes serves up to 400 people daily, and the Augustinian priests volunteer whenever they can.

Hope inspired by Pope Leo

When asked about his hopes for the Sant Agustí community after Pope Leo’s visit, Fr. Dennis replied, “In his apostolic journeys, the Pope always shows that he cares for migrants and the marginalised. He emphasises that these are our brothers and sisters in need. We may come from different Churches, nationalities, and backgrounds, but at the end of the day, humanity is one. I hope that this visit to Barcelona will remind us that whatever we do as a Church, we must never forget that humanity is one.”