Catholic Church remembers with prayer and hope the DANA tragedy in Valencia

The Archbishopric of Valencia remembers the DANA tragedy with silence, prayer and hope. “For Christians it cannot only be a day of painful remembrance, but also a day of hope,” says its archbishop, Bishop Enrique Benavent.

“Today is a day of hope, which is born from the solidarity and fraternity that we have experienced in so many gestures and that we are still living, and hope that God will have welcomed all the deceased,” he added. during the angelus prayer held in the Archbishopric.

On the first anniversary of the tragedy in which 229 people died, Bishop Benavent recalled that “it was a moment of pain, also of brotherhood and solidarity with all the people who have suffered from the loss of a loved one and also for all those affected who have lost material goods, work and that many of them are still rebuilding their own lives.”

Flower crowns and bells

All the parishes of the Archdiocese of Valencia, as well as religious communities and schools, have remembered those who died in the DANA, especially in the towns most affected by the floods.

In Aldaia, the temple has kept its doors open and held a moment of silent prayer, while the bells tolled for the deceased.

In Picaña, the parish of Nuestra Señora de Montserrat has joined an event organized by the City Council at the doors of the temple, where a wreath of flowers has been placed and candles have been lit. In Torrent, the Assumption parish has organized a Rosary for the victims.

In Algemesí, after the Eucharist, thanksgiving was held “for the solidarity and selfless help received throughout this time,” reports the Archdiocese.

Many parishes have organized masses in suffrage for the victims of DANA. The parish priest of the Assumption of Our Lady, in Riba-roja del Turia, Javier Grande, remembers that “along with that torrent of pain a year ago, another river also emerged—of solidarity, dedication and love—that made us recognize the greatness of the human heart.”

The parish, reception center

The episcopal vicar of the area affected by DANA, Jesús Corbí, emphasizes that “it is important to know that we continue to be available to everyone, the parish continues to be a place of welcome where you will always find a priest, a volunteer or a religious willing to assist and listen to whoever needs it.”

In recent days, in which the weather conditions have been somewhat adverse, some people have relived “the feelings and inevitably the wounds that are taking so long to heal, have reopened,” he explained in the Archbishopric website.

Even so, twelve months later, “we can say that the overall balance in the recovery is positive. DANA brought with it death – that is irreparable – and also brought desolation, economic losses and feelings of uprooting due to the loss of a home, the memories and the roots of each family, but in the face of all this, a great capacity for recovery has been demonstrated.”

Cáritas has served more than 21,800 people

Over the last year, Cáritas has supported 21,888 people with a total investment of more than 28.5 million euros, focusing its efforts on restoring the livelihoods of affected people through the recovery of businesses and the rehabilitation of premises and means of work.

In addition, Cáritas has focused on the most vulnerable groups: older people, minors, young people, large families, migrants, and those who live alone—without support networks—or were already in a situation of exclusion before DANA.