At 100 years old, José Francisco marked a remarkable spiritual milestone, receiving Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation in a single ceremony at the Church of A-dos-Francos in Portugal, celebrated by Father João de Brito with support from the Parish of Caldas da Rainha.
Born in the same town and spent his entire life working in agriuculture, he made sure that all his children were baptized, even though he himself never was. But the desire to be baptized remained in her heart for decades.
The dream began to take shape through an initiative of the Rotary Community Development Center (NRDC) of Caldas da Rainha and the Academy of Dreams. In July, José took part in an activity offering seniors immersive experiences with 360-degree virtual-reality glasses.
Through VR, he “attended” a dance and, visibly moved, symbolically stepped beyond the confines of the room where he spends most of his days.
During a conversation with the team, he revealed a long-held regret: he had never been baptized.
He shared that the demands of rural life—long hours, exhaustion, and little free time—had kept him from receiving the sacraments. Now, at age 100, he felt it was “no longer worth it.” But the team urged him on, reassuring him that, it is never too late to fulfill a dream.
With the guidance of Father João Sobreiro and Father João de Brito, José began preparing to receive the sacraments. Father João de Brito visited him twice at the nursing home, offering personal instruction. Then, on November 15, all three sacraments were finally celebrated together.
Adding a personal touch to the whole experience, the towel used at Jose’s Baptism was hanmade by his wife and had already used in the baptisms of their children.