Diocese of Malaga increases income by 33% but accumulates 18-million-euro debt
Parishes and church centres have doubled spending on social assistance and helped more than 51,000 people in the province in 2024
On the occasion of Día de la Iglesia Diocesana, which will be celebrated on Sunday, the Bishopric of Malaga presented its accounts for the past year. The diocesan bursar, Rafael Carmona, in the presence of the new bishop, José Antonio Satué, revealed that, in the financial 2024 period, the Diocese of Malaga had increased its income by 33% to a total of 36.2 million euros. This allowed it to double social spending and assistance that the parishes and church centres offer. These funds grew significantly, from 3.4 to 7.1 million euros, and church repair funds went from 13.1 to 15.9 million.
Carmona said that the increase in income had come from subsidies from public administrations, the increase in tourist visits to the Cathedral (for which the diocese received 50% more income in 2024) and interdiocesan common fund (another 1.5 million euros).
However, he stated that the Bishopric still has several challenges ahead in relation to the maintenance of temples such as some churches in Melilla, the church of El Sagrario, pending the completion of archaeological surveys, the Cathedral, whose roof repair budget has increased to 22.5 million euros (14.5 million in subsidies), and the church of Santo Domingo, which has a budget of 2.5 million euros.
He also pointed out that the diocese currently accumulates a debt of some 18 million euros, a result of the loans that have been taken out in recent years for work on various churches and buildings. According to Carmona, an effort to repay around 20% or 25% of this debt is made every year.
Bishop of Malaga José Antonio Satué: "Poverty has the face of people who work"
Earlier this week, the bishop published a letter titled 'La Iglesia, una gran familia' ('The Church, one big family'), in which he thanks God for all the people who contribute financially to the work of the Church. "For those of you who show solidarity with your brothers and sisters; for those who work in Cáritas, Manos Unidas and so many other organisations, because you are the Church; for those who generously care for our churches and celebrations; and for so many laymen and laywomen committed to the family, the parish, the brotherhood, their work, the economy, politics, society and the care of the common home in which we live, because you are the Church," Satué writes in his letter.
Last year, the parishes and different assistance centres of the diocese attended to 51,929 people, 12% more than in 2023. José Antonio Satué emphasised the crisis in access to housing. "Cáritas assists not only unemployed people, but also people with jobs who cannot make ends meet. Poverty has the face of people who work," the bishop said.
In 2024, the number of baptisms increased to 4,925 (up 4%) and confirmations to 8,458 (up 2.4%). However, the number of marriages in the Church decreased from 1,107 to 957. The diocese remains at around 300 diocesan priests, who serve some 250 parishes. At the same time, the number of seminarians decreased from 14 to 11.
