PARAGUAY, Ricardo Acosta •
31 January 2018, a hot afternoon, Mother of Tupãrenda House prepared for the graduation of three participants, the first of 2018. The other companions were also very expectant of what was going to happen, since it was the first experience for some. All of them were dressed in their best clothes, and the brand-new graduates as well as those who would receive sacraments got ready for a big celebration.
The ceremony began with the Holy Eucharistic in the shadow of the Tupãrenda Shrine, accompanied by relatives, friends and Funda Prova representatives, those in charge of businesses, where the participants carried out their internships. A choir enlivened this sublime moment with beautiful songs.
The graduations are held once the period of internship is finished, on the ninth month in the program. At this event, the graduates are presented certificates for the training course of social skills, horticulture, bakery, clothing and textile industry, and one more for the successful completion of the nine-month period.
The graduates were distinguished from the others by their blue armbands, which indicated the culmination of their internship and that the hour had come to take on the real world with its lights and shadows, and to transform it into an opportunity to better their quality of life and that of their family.
For some, the nine months have passed very quickly, for others the time has been sufficient to fortify themselves and face the challenges in their own individual improvement, and the competition in the work world.
Sacraments
The Sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation were celebrated during this great celebration. The participants received catechesis in the CMT every Tuesday afternoon, with volunteer catechists, who generously helped in the boys’ preparation; Fr. Pedro Kühlcke celebrated the Holy Eucharist closing out the ceremony.
Presentation of certificates and testimonies
In the dining room of CMT, everything was already prepared for another great moment within the celebration. Director Ana Soüberlich gave the words of welcome, and she explained the meaning of the program, its objective, and she invited the graduates to give a brief testimony of their internship time: the challenges they faced, their motivation to persevere, and what they would advise others that are still in preparation for their graduation.
With mixed feelings, the three brand-new graduates received their certificates from their instructors, and they received warm applause from their companions.
Finally they shared a delicious luncheon, recorded in an album with many photos.
Projection and commitment
This year several graduations are planned adding to the list of the graduates of Mother of Tupãrenda House that will now have opportunities to change and to improve their quality of life. We would not be able to accomplish it without the support of many businesses that trust our work, and they accept the graduates without hesitation like any other worker. This motivates us and makes us happy, because replicating this kind of program allover the country is being looked into, close to the educational centers, so a greater number of teens and youths can have access to this wonderful opportunity. We are grateful for the generosity and the social commitment of many institutions and businesses that cultivate a “culture of encounter” for the most needy, and we welcome those who want to join.
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Bank data of Mother of Tupãrenda House:
Fundaprova, Account: 102792992, Sudameris Bank SAECA, BIC/SWIFT BSUDPYPXXXX, RUC80079669-1
Schönstatt-Patres International e. V., IBAN: DE91 4006 0265 0003 1616 26, BIC/SWIFT GENODEM1DKM, Intended Use: P. Pedro Kühlcke, Casa Madre de Tupãrenda
Original: Spanish. 10 February 2018. Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA. Edited: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, Elgin, TX, USA
