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Our story began on May 31 this year, on the The Feast of Corpus Christi, which was marked by a procession. Our clients -three young men- helped as guards of honor at one of the altars that was set up in front of the premises of Caritas Slovakia.
Caritas is located in a neighborhood close to the largest church in Bratislava – St. Martin´s cathedral and since this feast we´ve been in touch with Fr. Peter, the parish priest.
Shortly after the celebration of the The Feast of Corpus Christi, the boys shared that they were not baptized, and that they were eager to receive the sacrament of Baptism.
Once a week, the boys actively help clean up the cathedral, or they are available to help with other tasks. They regularly take part in the Sunday Mass at 12.00, after which they always want to discuss more about what they have heard. During the weekend, they usually go to the small Chapel, where they pronounce their intentions for which they want to pray the rosary.
One of the boys became interested in the “fifty beads” (rosary) and wanted to know how to pray it. Every evening at the Cathedral, Adoration is observed and the rosary is prayed and he attends regularly with his friends.
Thanks to the approach and accessibility of both Father Peter and Deacon Lukas, our clients began to naturally integrate into the life of the parish, which also included intensive periods of preparation for baptism, tailored to the needs and conditions of this particular group.
The boys took the meetings very responsibly and it was on October 13 that the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and first communion took place. All this was accompanied by beautiful organ music performed by well-known musicians the Gabčíc brothers.
Because of their open and friendly approach, the parishioners of St. Martin´s cathedral supported and enabled the boys, former clients of a children’s home, to experience the community and the welcoming environment that is so rare to them. Together with them the day ended with a gala dinner.
Jana Urbanová. Caritas Slovakia.