Raül Adames García, Barcelona Catholic Education Director, Dies in Andorra Crash

Raül Adames García, a 48-year-old resident of Sant Cugat del Vallès and director of Barcelona's Diocesan Secretariat for Catholic Education as well as the Abat Oliba Loreto school, died on Friday afternoon in a collision near Incles while returning from Andorra with his family. The crash happened around 2:45 p.m. on the CG-2 road, when the van carrying the couple struck a stationary bus outside the Interski hotel. Adames was pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency efforts to revive him; no helicopter evacuation was needed. His 46-year-old wife sustained visible facial injuries but was treated at a hospital and discharged later that day. Their four children were not in the vehicle, as the family had been staying in an Andorran tourist apartment with others.

The Archdiocese of Barcelona, led by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, confirmed the death. Funeral details will be announced soon, expected to draw educators and religious leaders. The Archpriest of the Valls also responded promptly upon learning the victim's identity.

Born in 1971, Adames graduated from the University of Barcelona and Complutense University of Madrid. He began teaching in 2001 at Viaró Global School before joining Abat Oliba Loreto in 2005, rising to director in 2011. He took on the diocesan role in 2018, closely linked to the Abat Oliba Foundation. There, he oversaw religious education teacher training, collaboration between Catholic schools and parishes, and ties with education authorities. As part of the Interdiocesan Secretariat for Religious Education in Catalonia (SIERC), he coordinated instruction across the region, including connections to the Urgell diocese.

Adames advocated for teaching freedom, public-private school cooperation, and religious education's place in curricula, emphasizing holistic student growth, teacher professionalization, and Catholic schools' role in public debates. His work bolstered relations with regional officials and advanced leadership training blending academic rigor with ethical values.

Tributes poured in from education and church communities. Alfonso Aguiló, president of the Spanish Confederation of Educational Centres (CECE), called it "a great loss for the world of education," extending sympathies to Adames's wife and children while noting his quality commitments and leadership in CEU and Arenales networks. Catalan and national groups praised his integrity, service ethos, and bridges between Catholic education and society.

Authorities await a possible clinical autopsy to determine if health issues preceded the crash; transfer of the body to Sant Cugat remains pending.