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The Seminario Menor de Almería, in southern Spain, closed since 2021 due to a lack of vocations, will reopen this September with a new purpose: hosting and training migrants.
The building, once listed for sale, will now serve as temporary housing and a skills development center for up to 50 migrants, according to COPE.
The initiative comes after a substantial private donation enabled the diocese to retain the property and partner with local Jesuit efforts already underway in the region.
“It’s a brave project, focused primarily on formation,” said Seve Lázaro, superior of the Jesuit community in Almería, in an interview with COPE.
The plan includes vocational training in sectors such as food services, agriculture, and hospitality — industries that are closely tied to Almería’s economic base. Migrants will also receive Spanish language instruction, which Lázaro described as “the most essential tool for integration.”
Putting food on the tables
The Jesuit community has been working in the nearby region of Níjar, where many migrants employed in intensive farming lack adequate housing and access to services.
“They’re the ones putting basic food on the table in Spain and across Europe — zucchini, peppers, tomatoes,” Lázaro noted. “But their living and working conditions are often precarious.”
Spain received nearly 163,000 asylum requests in 2024, reflecting ongoing migratory pressure across the southern border. Lázaro said that the Church needs to move beyond emergency responses and focus on long-term solutions.
“The seminary’s location allows for more extended training programs, including qualifications that can significantly improve employment prospects.”
The facility will host migrants temporarily while they complete their courses. The project is expected to begin operations in September, pending final arrangements.
Not just numbers
Beyond logistics, Lázaro stressed the importance of public perception.
“We need to look people in the eyes, learn their names, and hear their stories,” he told COPE. “These are people with histories of resilience, not just numbers or headlines.”
While framed as a local initiative, the repurposing of the seminary is part of a broader response by Church communities across Spain to shifting demographics and migration patterns.
The move also highlights the continued decline in priestly vocations — a trend the Church has been confronting for decades. “There’s a crisis of lifelong commitment in today’s society, and religious life requires exactly that,” Lázaro said.
The Diocese of Almería has not indicated any long-term structural changes for the building beyond its use in this pilot phase. However, if successful, the project could serve as a model for other disused Church properties in the region.
