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The website of the Association of Friends of Saint Francis of Paola (Christian NGO) intends to be a gathering place for all peoples who follow the Christian message, exemplified in the figure of Saint Francis of Paola. The Saint showed all through his life love for his fellow men and our website and community of Friends just try to help the poor and the needed in a big solidary project of communion and good will, when the world is facing hard and troubled times. If you are people ready to fight, be solidary, understanding, generous and practice Christian faith, hope and charity, this is your place and this is your community. Please be welcome!

Latest news

The origins of the Association. The parish of Saint Francis of Paula at Diagonal Mar, Barcelona

The area of Barcelona known as Diagonal Mar, where the Forum of Cultures 2004 took place, has experienced important changes over the last years. These demographic and social changes, as well as the recent construction of houses and buildings of services, has led to the birth of a new neighbourhood in Barcelona. Regarding this transformation, the Archbishopric of Barcelona decided to edify a parish temple. On September 23, 2003, the Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona, Ricard Maria Carles, erected the new parish for this area, and put it under the auspice of Saint Francis of Paula.

As governor of the new parish, I am ready to march with all of you together along the paths of faith and observance of Jesus. The services for most needed people, to what Saint Francis dedicated his whole life, have with these initiatives an endless impulse. The fact of considering the construction of a new church is today a quite motivating challenge, as it implies cooperating in spreading the Christian message in new areas. Personally, for my it was a great joy moving from one of the oldest parishes of Barcelona, Sant Genís dels Agudells, dated in the X century, in the range of Collserola, to the most recent of the diocese and, therefore, the most modern.

The future: the newest technologies and the Friends of Saint Francis of Paola

The parish of Diagonal Mar is our physical space in Barcelona, but the new technologies allow us to make Saint Francis of Paula's message known and spread the purposes and contents of our Association of Friends to all people who may be interested to hear them. Therefore, the wide virtual space, virtually unlimited, allows us to grow, trying that our message and solidary actions are shared by more and more followers, more and more Friends of Saint Francis, to turn little by little the world into a less selfish and more just place, less material and more spiritual as well.

Joan Josep Villegas Acién

Governor of Saint Francis of Paola parish