The multitudinous Children's Mass, held within the framework of the festivities of the Virgin of the Forsaken, was the setting where Archbishop Enrique Benavent emphasized the need for charity. In his homily, he stressed that devotion to the patroness of Valencia stems from charity and that it should not be a sham, but sincere and true.
“"The history of devotion to the Virgin of the Forsaken does not distinguish between good and bad, those from here and those from outside, our own and strangers. The Christian's priority with authentic charity is the vulnerability of those who need help."
Benavent's message focused on the importance of not making distinctions when helping those in need, regardless of their origin. He emphasized that charity must be an act of love towards others, without exclusions, and that any other form of charity is not authentic.
Likewise, the archbishop recalled that the path to a better society is that of peace, even if it may seem unrealistic. He pointed out that any other path only causes more suffering and that Christians must follow the path of peace, as taught by Pope Leo, to whom he wished to express the adherence of Valencian Christians on the first anniversary of his election.
