What if we reopen Sant Miquel de Campanet?
In Brigida
God also dwells in the medieval church of Sant Miquel de Campanet, in the Pla de Tel area, even though it is now closed, dark, and damp. It is no coincidence that the first Christians of the 13th century chose this place to build the beautiful and slender church that has survived to this day. For many people, believers or not, it is a space imbued with a profound and serene spirituality. Some even speak of a magical place, inhabited by memory.
The church of the forest, as it's known, is one of the best-preserved 13th-century churches in Mallorca. It's well-preserved, despite the enduring mystery of why the apse's arch is now walled up. If you want to truly appreciate its beauty and that of the surrounding region, you must open yourself to the wisdom of your senses, savoring the fragrance of the flowers, the whisper of the wind, and the beautiful birdsong among the branches. You must immerse yourself in its silence. Everything helps you understand the message of the stones, the history, and the people who once lived there.
San Miguel is a sacred place. With its cypress and pine trees, nestled here in the Gabellí mountain range, earth and sky have been united for centuries through prayer, nature, and inner meditation. Strolling around, sitting for a while in the courtyard, and humbly entering its heart are a delight and a gift of life. So far we have spoken of heritage and spirituality, but we need a third pillar to complete the picture, the triangle: social justice.
We've mentioned before that the church remains closed, dampness slowly creeping through its walls. Today, visitors find the entrance boarded up. And the question is unavoidable: what does it mean to preserve heritage unless it's to put it at the service of the community? We know there's a concrete proposal to keep it open. The SI Cooperative, a social initiative with a long-standing presence in Campanet and other parts of Mallorca, has repeatedly raised the need to reopen the space, ventilate it, keep it clean, generate cultural activity, and, above all, create jobs for people with disabilities. They already did so between 2018 and 2021. I can assure you it was a worthwhile social and cultural experience. The old stones trembled with life. The profound silence was compatible with art and social justice.
The SI Cooperative was founded in Campanet in 2000. It is a non-profit organization whose general objective is to help dependent people or those with special needs and facilitate their social and professional integration. Its members include people with disabilities. Essentially, it tries to change "the way people are in the world." It works to create a personal support network for those who are socially isolated due to their disability or other circumstances. It also cares for the elderly. The Cooperative tried to return to Sant Miquel with the intention of providing social support. The agreement expired in 2021 and was not renewed by either the parish or the diocese. Why?
For this reason, they are currently collecting signatures in Campanet and northern Mallorca so that they will be heard, seen, and have a dialogue. Finding common ground and overcoming envy, clearing up misunderstandings or jealousy is easy if there is a will to do so. Interestingly, there are practicing believers within the Cooperative. Communion with the Gospel should serve to build bridges of dialogue and find solutions. Reopening Sant Miquel cannot become a problem in any way. We must make visible and prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable. Sant Miquel must once again give meaning to the town of Campanet and illuminate the Pla de Tel with the light of solidarity.
We have lived for far too long immersed in excessive noise, suspicion, and sterile confrontation. San Miguel, on the other hand, offers us something different: silence, spirituality, and opportunity. The most vulnerable are not looking for headlines or fleeting debates; they are looking for a key. An opportunity, to be able to say "we are here" and to have a dignified place in the world. It is no longer enough to preserve stones and bells that never ring. Heritage, if it does not generate life, becomes an empty stage set, devoid of meaning and significance. We need meaning. And meaning is born when heritage, spirituality, faith, and justice walk hand in hand.
Intuition tells us yes, God still dwells in the church of Pla de Tel, in the holm oak groves of Gabellí, where water springs from the veins of the world. If so, opening San Miguel is not just about preserving a church: it's about opening an opportunity. Let us not forget the teachings of the Gospels; let us open the doors to the weakest and most needy, so that they themselves may discover this intuition and their future, which is also ours.
