Cardinal Rouco visits parish scarred by attempted bombing

Madrid, Spain, Jul 22, 2009 / 09:53 am

The Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, visited the parish of St. Genevieve in the suburb of Majadahonda after seven homemade bombs were found last week attached to the air conditioning system. Fortunately, the bombs did not explode.
 
During his unexpected Sunday visit, the cardinal celebrated Mass and spoke with parishioners. He encouraged them in his homily to be “calm and at peace” and thanked police officers for their work in investigating the incident.
 
He also expressed his concern at the resurgence of such acts, “which have not taken place in Spain for decades.”  He said it should come as no surprise that young people from broken homes end up being manipulated into committing these crimes.
 
The pastor of the parish of St. Genevieve, Father David Benintez, related the details of the incident to Efe news agency. On July 12, he recalled, “as I finished the 11:30 Mass, there was a strong odor of gasoline in the church. With the help of a parishioner we searched the premises and found some strange objects that looked like bottles wrapped in tape on the roof by the air conditioning.”
 
Father Benitez said it was time “to forget about what happened and continue ahead with our work, which has not been interrupted.  The investigation will continue and will surely conclude successfully, and justice will be served.”