The Archdiocese of Barcelona unveiled “Spe Salvi”, a service for the prevention, detection and management of suicidal behaviour. The new programme, as the Catalonian Archdiocese writes in a notice, is the “outcome of a reflection on the seriousness of the problem in contemporary society and aims at creating a network – within the Christian community – to detect and support people in such risks”. The “Spe Salvi” programme takes inspiration from Pope Benedict XVI’s second encyclical letter, which was focussed on hope as the means of salvation. It is – the notice goes on – a “new form of pastoral service, which is accessible both through a telephone number for direct assistance and through the support of the wide network of parish communities of the Archdiocese”. The new service will be officially unveiled on Saturday January 31st, at an information event organised at the Seminary of Barcelona and attended by the Auxiliary Bishop, mgr. Javier Vilanova. Suicide is currently the first non-natural cause of death in Catalonia, especially for young people. According to the latest official figures, 390 people had suicidal feelings or experienced the risk of committing suicide in the Province of Barcelona in 2024. The initiative of the Catalonian Church is supported by the local government (the Generalitat), which has included the “Spe Salvi” programme into Catalonia’s regional suicide-prevention plan.