Between the years 1998 to 2015, by a specific law promulgated by the PP government, with José María Aznar as president, the Catholic Church put in its name, registered, registered properties; that is, unregistered properties for which no legal owner was known. It did not have to accredit its ownership as is always done, it was enough with some documentation or simply with an ecclesiastical certification. That is, the church itself certified that the property was its own and that was enough to officially register it as its own. Thus, during this period 34,961 properties were registered throughout Spain, the majority (30,335) using the ecclesiastical certification system. One part, the church, certified and the same kept the property. This system does not seem very ethical.
With this procedure it has taken ownership of churches, chapels and convents, which were not registered, which could be considered reasonable. But also other properties, for example the Mosque of Córdoba, a jewel of Arab art declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and which belongs to everyone. But you don't have to go that far, here in Lanzarote, in addition to places of worship, they have also registered other properties such as squares (San Roque, Plaza de los Dolores and Plaza del Pilar, all in Tinajo), cemeteries (Tao, Guatiza and Teguise). Thus, up to 38 properties in Lanzarote and 408 in all of the Canary Islands. And this outrage has occurred in the 21st century, in a democratic country with a strong rule of law.
This process is reminiscent, but in reverse, of the confiscations of the liberals Mendizabal and Madoz in the 19th century. Then land was expropriated from the church, with the intention of giving it to the peasants. The process was more transparent, now it has been opaque, there has been great resistance to publishing the properties registered in this way and it has taken more than five years to make them public. In those, the beneficiaries paid for the land, while now the church has kept these assets in exchange for nothing. And above all, on this occasion a religious organization benefits, harming civil society.
The church does not pay property taxes for its many properties, now increased, something that the rest of us mortals have to do. One more perk that makes no sense in these times. Perhaps this is the ideal time to correct it.
Now it is only possible to appeal this registration before the courts. These properties have been in the name of the church for more than five years. The registration was made with that current legality and, with the current regulations, it will be very difficult to reverse this process. Only political action, in the form of a new law, can reverse this situation.
Quoting Don Quixote we would say ¡We have run into the clergy Sancho! I add……….and with necessary collaborators.
