More than thirty years after the founding of the “Nadzieja” community in Tuchów, the “Nadzieja” House, dedicated to the Infant Jesus, was solemnly inaugurated. This is an important moment in the history of the organization – the Association of Parents and Friends of Persons with Disabilities “Speranza” – which from the beginning has been linked to the pastoral work of the Redemptorists and the commitment of many people.
Over the years, various activities have developed: meetings between children and families, catechism classes, preparation for the sacraments, participation in the liturgy, educational activities, rehabilitation, integration trips, artistic events, and initiatives undertaken with volunteers. The community has grown, and with it, the dream of creating a place of its own.
On September 19, 2026, that long-held dream became a reality. The ceremony began with the symbolic ribbon cutting. Subsequently, the “Nadzieja” House, dedicated to the Infant Jesus, was blessed by Father Sylwester Pactwa CSsR, superior of the Redemptorist community in Tuchów and provincial consultor, who represented the superior of the Redemptorist Province of Warsaw at the ceremony.
Among the Redemptorists present were Father Stefan Kawula, spiritual leader of the Association; Father Bogusław Augustowski, former parish priest and custodian of the shrine parish in Tuchów; and Father Robert Borzyszkowski, who had been a volunteer at “Nadzieja” during his seminary days. Also present at the ceremony was Father Alfons Górowski, parish priest of St. James Parish in Tuchów.
Their presence was a beautiful reminder that the history of this place is more than just the story of a building. It is, above all, the story of encounters, relationships, and the people who have supported people with disabilities and their families over the years.
A particularly significant moment of the meeting was the speech by Marian Gut, president of the “Nadzieja” Association, who retraced the journey from the community’s first meetings to the founding of his own home. Father Robert Borzyszkowski also spoke, sharing memories of his time with the Association as a volunteer. He recounted how important this experience was for him and how much he learned from meeting people with disabilities, their families, and the entire “Nadzieja” community.
A key moment of the ceremony was the joint Mass, during which the future of the Home, its guests, their families, and all those involved in the work of “Nadzieja” were entrusted to God. There was also a particularly moving moment: the artistic performance prepared by the “Messengers of Hope,” the guests of the “Nadzieja” Association.
A special symbol of the show “The Gift of the Heart” were the seven keys. Each of them represented one of the gifts: a smile, a kind word, time, help, friendship, love, and hope. They became the symbol of the opening not only of the doors of the new House, but also of human hearts. Thus, the message of the show also became the message of the entire celebration. The House of Hope aims to be a place where people’s hearts open to encounters, help, friendship, and fellow human beings. The ceremony was also attended by Telewizja Trwam, which recorded the inauguration ceremony of the House of Hope. The service will be broadcast in November 2026 in the program “Overcoming Barriers.”
This day was above all a moment of gratitude for over three decades of shared history: for the people who have brought this community to life since its beginning, for those who have supported it over the years, and for all those thanks to whom the dream of a place of our own could come true.
The Casa “Speranza” (House of Hope), named after Bambino Gesù, aims to be a place of encounter, support, kindness, and mutual care. A home where everyone can feel important and not alone. A place where the goodness that has blossomed in the hearts of so many over the years, can be shared with others.
Photo gallery on the Association’s Facebook page
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The Association of Parents and Friends of Persons with Disabilities “Nadzieja” (Hope) was founded in Tuchów in the fall of 1991, on the initiative of a Redemptorist student who proposed catechesis for children with disabilities at the local shrine. Around this initiative, a group of seminarians formed, who worked with the children and their families, and on November 9, 1991, the first Mass dedicated to them was celebrated. Starting with just a few families, the community grew through prayer meetings, catechesis, sacramental preparation, outings, rehabilitation, and integration activities, until the association was officially registered in 1992.
Elżbieta Wiejacka,
Association of Parents and Friends of Persons with Disabilities «Nadzieja» in Tuchów
Source: www.redemptor.pl
