On Saturday, July 24, at 8:00 pm, as part of the 27th. Cultural Meeting at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Gualter, in the Barony of Rialb (La Noguera), took place the presentation of the book by Josep Masabeu Pallerols de Rialb. Història i Personatges”.
The event was attended by the President of the County Council of La Noguera, Miquel Plensa; the Mayor of the Barony of Rialb, Antoni Reig; and the Councilor for Culture of the Barony of Rialb, Dolors Caelles. Mn. Bonifaci Fortuny, who previously celebrated the Eucharist, and a good group of families from the Barony.
After some heartfelt words from the Mayor, who wrote the book’s prologue, Josep Masabeu explained its content and the processes it has followed in the search for historical data and documentation.
History and characters are the common threads of this book that focuses in the first place on explaining the farmhouses that make up this nucleus of the Barony of Rialb, around a Romanesque church consecrated by St. Ermengol, Bishop of Urgell between 1010 and 1035; then it deals with the study of prominent figures who stayed there such as Anton Serra i Planes, “Lo Rector de Pallerols” (1808-1875), one of the first Catalan romantic poets, precedent of Verdaguer. He also speaks of Mn. Joan Porta i Perucho (1907-1999), who was rector of the Barony of Rialb for 50 years.
He then addresses the Civil War, when the Barony of Rialb served as a refuge and shelter for many fugitives seeking freedom to Andorra. In this context, the stay of Saint Josemaría Escrivá in November 1937 is explained.
And finally, he describes the rehabilitation of the rectory and the effort to revitalize this environment.
He then answered several questions from the audience, and ended the event with the signing and dedication of books.
We hope that this publication will contribute to the knowledge and promotion of the Barony.
Attached is a 6-minute video, made by Florentí Ysern, showing a photographic summary of the book.
Com sempre, Mn. Jaume -que tants bon records ens va deixar del seu pas per aquestes contrades- estimulant-nos a aprofundir en la història i personatges de la Baronia de Rialb, entre els que sobresurt -com ve assenyala- Mn. Joan Porta un bon sacerdot de la terra.
Un llibre que atansa als lectors la vida d’un espai ben estimat com és la Baronia de Rialb i molts dels seus indrets. El Josep Masabeu ens fa ben propers els personatges que són els veritables protagonistes del llibre. Jo em quedo amb la figura de un capellanet de poble Mn. Joan Porta, que no va buscar ni càrrecs, ni prebendes, ni títols només servir amb amor i caritat el seu petit ramat de fidels de la Baronia, tota la seva vida, i fins al final. Com a prevere un bon exemple per tenir i seguir, s’agraeix.
Un bon llibre que ens obra de bat a bat les finestres d’una raconet de la nostra terra que té tot una història per explicar-nos, i que el Joan ho ha fet possible, amb un treball de recerca, d’història i també de vivències de la gent de la zona.
Gràcies i no només felicitem a l’autor sinó a la gent de Baronia de Rialb que teniu un bonic recurs per explicar i agrair les vostres arrels !!!
Enhorabona i et desitjo el millor dels èxits
Precioso video, de música e imágenes