Immigrants losing their faith in Spain

Madrid, April 5th, 2006.

Research carried out by Vitoria University shows that immigrants who have entered in Spain in the last five years are less happy than they were in their home countries.

They are generally in favour of gender equality, and value health, money and love in that order as the most important thing in their lives. 85% believe in God, but this is down from a figure of 99% who had religious convictions when they arrived in Spain. So almost 15% have lost their faith, and a further 10% are in the process of losing it. A small percentage, 5.8%, have seen their faith grow, while the rest still believe in God more or less as they did before.

The results are based on more than 500 interviews with immigrants from over 30 different countries. The aim of the exercise was to get to know immigrants better, and find out what they are like as people and as citizens. Unsurprisingly, their main preoccupation is to find a stable job so as to be able to develop a normal, family life. Of those interviewed, 35% have been in Spain for less than a year, and the rest between one and five years. Over half of them have sorted out their papers and live as couples, or with friends or relatives. After 5 years, 38% of them feel as much Spanish as they do their nationality of birth. So they have faith in Spain, but not necessarily the religious faith they brought with them.

Source: La Razón. Editing: ACPress.net

77.4% of Students Study Religion (Catholic) in Spanish Schools

Seventy-seven percent of students in the Spanish school system are signed up to receive religious (Catholic) education classes this year, which is a 1.9 percent drop from the previous year. The Catholic hierarchy in Spain has blamed the decline on the current government’s efforts to take religious education out of the schools. They also state that the high percentage of students studying religion proves that parents want religious values instilled in the lives of their students.

This study shows that out of 6,475,923 students, 5,012,364 are receiving religious training. In Catholic schools, the number of students taking religious classes is at 99 percent. In the public school system, 85.5 percent of preschool students, 86.5 percent of elementary students, 64.8 percent of junior high students, and 53.7 percent of high school students study religion. 
 
Source: EFE. Editing: ACPress.net


Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses Recognized by the Government

The religious net is widening. Until now, the Spanish authorities have recognized only four religious groups - Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim - as having a sufficiently historic presence in Spain to be granted certain privileges.

These privileges include being able to offer religious education classes in state schools according to their beliefs (providing their own teachers for the classes), and since last year receiving state funding for faith-based social action projects. Officially recognized religious groups can also hold legal marriage ceremonies on their premises, have chaplains in hospitals and prisons and so forth. There are also various fiscal benefits such as not paying municipal taxes. The Socialist government is now broadening the offer; the Mormons joined the club a few months ago, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are about to do so.

A Mormon spokesman, Bonifacio López, explains that they asked for the same privileges as other groups, and were granted them. Both the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses want their own teachers in state schools, to offer their own versions of religious education. Aníbal Matos, of the Jehovah’s Witnesses recognizes that this step does not just grant privileges, but a certain social legitimacy. No doubt they are hoping government support will help them shed their being known as a cult, while Christians will be concerned that the religious waters are being ever more muddied.
 
Source: El Mundo. Editing: ACPress.net


Real Madrid, Richest Football (Soccer) Team

Real Madrid has moved ahead of Manchester United to become the world's richest football club in terms of income, according to the latest Deloitte Football Money League report. The Deloitte review concentrates solely on day-to-day income from football business such as ticket sales, merchandising and broadcast revenues. After eight years at the top of the list, Manchester United was pushed into second place based on revenues from the 2004-5 season.

Real Madrid's income has doubled in the past five years, as their policy of recruiting famous players has reaped dividends. The appeal of star players like David Beckham has helped boost the club's merchandising efforts.

Real Madrid's commercial domination has come despite little success in recent years. The club, with only one title in the last four years, doubled its revenue to $328 million at the end of the financial year in 2005.

“Real Madrid has been more successful in turning its international support into revenues than most other clubs including Manchester United," Deloitte's Paul Rawnsley said. "Although president Florentino Perez's strategy of recruiting world-class players has not necessarily delivered the anticipated success on the field, their presence has facilitated a transformation in the club's financial performance.”

Source: World Soccer Magazine


Policeman Does Not Have to March in Catholic Procession
Villarreal, February 28, 2006 (ACPress.net).
 
The courts have overturned an order by the mayor of Villarreal, in eastern Spain, who ordered the local police chief to take part in a Catholic procession against his will. The court said the order violated the right of religious freedom.
  The decision could spell the beginning of the end for a long-standing tradition whereby police officers and soldiers have taken part in Catholic processions. Easter week sees the most processions; but in this case, Angel Torres, chief of police for the city of Villarreal, was told by the city's mayor, Manuel Vilanova that he had to participate in the Corpus Christi Procession. However, the order has been overturned by the court decision, which frees the policeman from joining in any religious activities against his wishes.
  News of the court verdict has spread like wildfire among many police officers seeking the details of the decision, while police unions are calling for religious acts to be removed from the list of formal occasions at which the police are required to be present, if the local authorities so require.
 
Source: C Ser. Editing: C.SER