Cardinal José Cobo visited the sports centre in Alcobendas this Saturday, where 87 residents from Navalagamella are being sheltered following the forest fire in the Sierra Oeste. During the meeting, those affected recounted that the church bells were the first alert of the emergency.
The Archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo, visited the residents of Navalagamella this Saturday who were evacuated due to the forest fire affecting the Sierra Oeste of the Community of Madrid and who have been sheltered in a sports centre in Alcobendas. During the meeting, the cardinal was able to hear firsthand how they experienced the most distressing hours of the fire and learn about the crucial role the church bells played as an alert system.
“We found out through the bells,” was one of the most repeated phrases among the elderly, who explained that the ringing of the church was the first sign that something extraordinary was happening. Before notifications from mobile apps or social media arrived, the sound of the bells mobilised the entire community within minutes. A scene that demonstrates that, in many villages in the region, bell towers remain much more than a landscape element: they continue to be a communication tool capable of saving lives.
The evacuees especially appreciated the closeness of the cardinal and the time he dedicated to talking with them. Amid the concern and uncertainty caused by the fire, many highlighted the help received from the parishes and the spontaneous networks of collaboration that have been created among citizens and volunteers.
The cardinal also conveyed to the mayor of Alcobendas, Rocío García Alcántara, and the emergency operation leaders the willingness of the Archdiocese of Madrid to collaborate in the aid efforts. So far, 87 people from Navalagamella have received breakfast, lunch, and all necessary services, while the youngest have been able to enjoy entertainment activities to make the situation more bearable.
The Archdiocese of Madrid has made volunteers from the vicariates of the affected areas available to assist in whatever may be necessary. The parish priest of Navalagamella, Alfonso Rodríguez, has assured that everyone is well: “They have rested, within what is possible.” The priest has also expressed his gratitude to those who are attending to them: “The team is giving their all.”
The pastoral vicar of the Archdiocese of Madrid, José Luis Segovia, highlighted the “warm welcome to the displaced persons” provided by both the mayor of Alcobendas and the members of the municipality and Civil Protection. “They have treated these people with exquisite kindness,” he stated. Even when it was known that another 100 people from the town of Cenicientos would be arriving at the sports centre, the attitude remained one of welcome. “The comment was to say ‘welcome’. It was clear that they were not receiving a problem, but their expression was one of solidarity and friendship.”
Segovia emphasised that the “most repeated word” when the mayor and the cardinal greeted the people was “thank you.” He also praised the role of the parish priest of Navalagamella, Alfonso Rodríguez, “who has not stopped accompanying his people in this forced exile and has even celebrated the Eucharist with them,” a mass that “has encouraged them, fed them, and strengthened them.”
The vicar highlighted the “leadership” of the priest during the evacuation “and his role as a member of the Church, recognised in the village, which allowed people to leave with serenity.” Finally, he underscored Cardinal Cobo’s commitment, who has not only sent the necessary aid but has also promised the residents and parishioners that when they can return home, he will go to celebrate the Eucharist there. The mass will be “to give thanks to God for their return, to Saint Michael and Saint Isidore, to whom we have especially entrusted that this tragedy may end and that it may rain and even change the course of the wind.”
In conclusion, José Luis Segovia highlighted “the atmosphere of familiarity” and a profound sense of unity. “There were people of all ages, people from the most diverse backgrounds.” An attitude that has resonated among politicians. In fact, the vicar was left with a phrase from one of the councillors: “This is not the time for colours, but the time for all of us to come together to alleviate the suffering of these people.”
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