The Bishopric cedes the House of Spirituality, in the protected environment of the sanctuary, to house the Redemptoris Mater missionary center
The old Casa de Espiritualidad Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta, the imposing building that crowns one of the hills around the sanctuary of the Patron Saint of Murcia, in El Valle, will once again be used as a religious training center, according to the plans that are considered in the Diocese of Cartagena. The Redemptoris Mater missionary, international and diocesan seminary, linked to the Neocatechumenal Way –popularly known as the ‘kikos’– plans to move its facilities to that building, now abandoned, from the provisional headquarters it occupies in San José de la Vega.
In the Diocese they confirm to LA VERDAD that the building, owned by the Cathedral Chapter, has already been ceded, at the request of Bishop Lorca Planes, to be conditioned for this purpose. Through a spokesperson for the Bishopric, those responsible for the Redemptoris Mater seminary have only confirmed that the works of the first phase are already underway, without specifying more details of the action.
If the plans are maintained, the project will make it possible to use a property that has been forgotten for three decades and that, on occasions, has served as a refuge for squatters. It will also mean the shelving of an idea launched by the mayor José Antonio Serrano about the possibilities offered by the complex, in the middle of the mountains, to host a first-class tourist establishment.
restoration works
A decade ago, the building, erected in the 50s of the 20th century as a summer seminary for the Order of the Benedictines, already underwent restoration works that mainly affected the roofs. These days there are barely visible signs that the masons have returned, except for a construction container placed at the main door.
In May 2018 and at the request of the Association for the Conservation of the Huerta (Huermur), the House of Spirituality was left within the protection environment of the Fuensanta sanctuary, together with other elements of the same enclave such as the Benedictine monastery, the Casa del Cabildo, the Cueva de la Cómica, the Fuente Santa and the convent of the Discalced Carmelites. So any work in the building must have the approval of the regional Historical Heritage service, as they remember from said group. The technicians of that department have already warned that the restoration will not be able to alter the external appearance, maintaining the current distribution of openings in the façades.
The building, in an eclectic style and which is accessed by a dirt road from the road that connects the sanctuary and the hermitage of La Luz, has a rectangular floor plan, with two side modules two stories high each. Its dimensions would satisfy the claims of those responsible for the Redemptoris Mater seminary, who for years have been looking for a location for a large international center for missionary formation, with capacity for more than one hundred seminarians from all over the world. At the moment, his plans have been cut short for different reasons. Already in 2009, an agreement signed with the Murcia City Council provided for the construction of the seminary on land in the El Valle-Carrascoy park. But that project was met with objections from the Environment, as it was forest land with special protection. So then another plot of 50,500 square meters was offered in El Palmar, but the initiative did not prosper either, apparently due to lack of financing.
At its provisional headquarters, in the district of San José de la Vega, 24 seminarians from various countries are currently being trained.
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