Church took action due to severe floods in Spain that killed more than 60 people

With Nicolas de Cárdenas

Madrid, Spain, 30 October 2024 / 16:15

Heavy rains flooded southern and eastern Spain, killing at least 66 people. In response, the Catholic Church expressed its pain and condolences for the tragedy, and Caritas launched a special campaign.

The flash flood is considered the third largest natural disaster in Spain’s recent history, hitting primarily the territory of the Archdiocese of Valencia and the Dioceses of Cuenca and Albacete.

Only the 1996 flood in the Pyrenees town of Biescas, which resulted in 89 deaths, and the 1957 flood on the Turia River, which killed an estimated 80 to 100 people, exceed the confirmed death toll to date.

Archbishop of Valencia Enrique Benavent celebrated the Eucharist on Wednesday morning in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Abandoned, patroness of the city. During the homily, the bishop noted that “just as those who suffer the most are those closest to a mother’s heart, those who are most affected are those we must hold closest to our hearts.”

Benavent also asked that “everyone first pray in front of the Virgin Mary for those who lost their lives in this great tragedy” and asked for their families and all those affected to be commemorated.

Hundreds of people traveling with their private vehicles yesterday afternoon were forced to sleep outdoors after being caught in severe floods. In the severe storm, which sometimes turned into a hurricane, many people’s homes were flooded and their vehicles were swept away.

The Archdiocese of Valencia, which made its facilities and resources available to citizens on Tuesday afternoon, realized that it could not meet all the needs it wanted.

“Communities have also been affected, but within our means we must keep in mind that those who are suffering feel in us a helping hand, a brotherly hand, who knows how to have compassion for them and who knows how they will feel. Benavent said it is necessary to pay attention to their needs.

Regarding those temporarily deprived of a roof over their heads, the Archbishop expressed his hope that “in the Church, in Christians, they can find a helping hand from brothers and a helping hand from friends.” In this way, we will also show that we are the children of the Maiden of the Forsaken.”

Caritas Spain mobilizes emergency campaign

The regional diocese, Caritas, contacted the Archdiocese of Valencia to offer its services; This was confirmed to CNA’s Spanish-language news partner ACI Prensa by Marisa Villaroig, president of Caritas in the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón.

“We put ourselves at their service. We are waiting for the damage to be assessed to determine special needs,” he said.

Saying that he would personally take some people from Valencia to his home, Villaroig admitted, “We are a little hard-hearted.”

Caritas Spain announced that it has launched a campaign to respond to the emergency, in which its branches in Valencia and Albacete, located in the most affected areas, have a special role, although they are also affected.

Condolences and support from different dioceses

Since the early morning hours, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and prelates have publicly expressed their sorrow for the lives lost, their sorrow for the material disasters and their readiness to work for material and spiritual recovery.

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Luis Argüello, Archbishop of Valladolid and President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, said the following on the subject: X He expressed concern and asked the Maiden of the Forsaken to “comfort and support everyone” and promised assistance at the conference.

Both Argüello and the conference’s general secretary, Bishop Francisco César García Magán, wrote letters to Monsignor Julián Ros, archbishop of Valencia and apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Albacete, to express their “pain and sympathy.”

Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, ​​said he was “shocked by the tragic images that came to us from Valencia and Albacete” and promised prayers “for the victims, their families and those affected.”

“Experiences like these remind us of the fragility of our human condition and open us to the hope of eternal life in heaven,” the cardinal said.

Archbishop of Granada José María Gil Tamayo also expressed his condolences, as did Archbishop of Seville José Ángel Saiz Meneses.

Luis Ángel de las Heras, bishop of León, and Ginés García, bishop of Getafe, also expressed their condolences.

At the institutional level, the Dioceses of Vitoria, Ávila and Mondoñedo-Ferrol and the Archdiocese of Madrid also expressed their sorrow.

The Spanish government declared three days of official mourning for the tragedy.

this story first published By ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. Translated and adapted by CNA.

Nicolás de Cárdenas has been ACI Prensa’s Spain correspondent since July 2022. In his journalism career, he specialized in socio-religious issues and also worked in local and international civic associations.