Priest who survived subway accident concelebrates at funeral of victims

Jul 4, 2006 / 22:00 pm

A priest who survived Monday’s subway accident in Spain concelebrated at a Mass offered for the 41 victims at the Cathedral of Valencia on Tuesday.  

Father Emilio Cruz of the Servite Order has spent 13 years as chaplain at the Doctor Pesset Aleixandre Hospital, and on Monday he traveled to the site of the World Meeting of Families.  Upon leaving he boarded the subway just minutes before the accident.

According to the AVAN news agency, “(Father Cruz) was traveling in the second subway car and was able to escape by breaking the windows.  He used his cell phone to call 112 (the equivalent of 911 in the US) before helping victims who were traveling in the first car.”

Speaking to the Diocesan newspaper, “Paraula,” Father Cruz said, “now more than ever, we must encourage people to attend this World Meeting of the Families, the fair, the conferences and the visit of the Holy Father, because it is in families of faith that the pain of these tragedies can be turned into hope.”

The Spanish priest said the World Meeting of Families should be enjoyed, “without forgetting the victims of this tragedy.”  He also encouraged the victims’ families to, “continue forward with hope,” and he called on survivors to, “give thanks to god for this new opportunity to give of themselves more to others.”