I don't want any Lourdes from Neratov, says Father Suchár

Neratov (Rychnovsko) – The mountain settlement of Neratov, which is part of Bartošovice in the Orlické Mountains, has had a successful year. A new microbrewery has started operating, the towers of the pilgrimage church have received their original baroque onion domes and bells as part of a Czech-Polish project, and activities in the social sphere have expanded. Further projects, such as an information center or the opening of a border crossing in Neratov for pedestrians and cyclists to Poland, are in preparation.

The village near the Polish border, known for its gradually restored church with a glass roof, was revitalized by the Neratov Association, a group of enthusiasts around Catholic priest Josef Suchář, who was secretly ordained during communism. "I consider our greatest success since the beginning of our efforts in Neratov to be that we continue to operate according to the basic mission we set out at the beginning, which is to rebuild a place that will thrive and to bring life back to the village with people with disabilities," Suchář told ČTK, who is also a long-time president of the Diocesan Catholic Charity of Hradec Králové and a bishop's vicar.

Thanks to the revitalization of the village in recent years, the number of visitors has been unusually increasing. This year, between 25,000 and 30,000 people came to Neratov. "We have to slow down a bit; visitors are increasing. Neratov is beautiful as it is, and we do not intend to turn it into some Lourdes. Peace is part of Neratov, and we don't want to lose it. That’s why we are also spreading our activities into the surrounding area," Suchář told ČTK.

The Neratov miracle, as the transformation of the depopulated village into a thriving place with a brewery, a restaurant, a recreation facility, creative workshops, a laundry, maintenance centers, and social services with supported housing and other activities is sometimes called, is said to be transferable. "When people want to achieve something, they can do it anywhere. However, the spiritual dimension is important. Spiritual values are also crucial for people to endure together. All activities are carried out together with people with disabilities, from maintaining the roads in winter, to the pub, gardening, and even cleaning in accommodation facilities," he said to ČTK.

The story of Neratov began in the early 90s when Suchář approached two families who settled permanently in the Orlické Mountains. They founded a civic association that now helps people with disabilities, including those with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. The association has approximately 250 employees, of which about 200 are people with various disabilities. The association offers supported housing in Neratov and workplaces employing people with various forms of disabilities also in Králíky and Žamberk. The goal is for the social enterprise of the Neratov association to be economically self-sustaining.

"When we arrived, the village as a distinct unit was not functioning. There were mainly cottage owners here. Initially, there was significant distrust towards us, but gradually that changed," he added.