Brother Juan Acuña, C.PP.S., was sworn in as a citizen of the United States on December 6, after 11 years of ministering here. Brother Juan, who lives in Chicago, was born in Santiago, Chile. He currently heads the New Creation Commission and has ministered in the past at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in Chicago.
Brother Juan explained his decision to pursue citizenship: “After 11 years living in the U.S. I decided to become a citizen to fully participate in the life of the country I now call home.
“Democracy has always been very important for me. My experience growing up during a dictatorship that lasted 17 years in Chile taught me how valuable democracy is for the future of a nation and how fragile it can be if it is taken for granted. I believe that my voice as an immigrant needs to be heard in this moment and I want to contribute to continue making this nation the land of opportunities for the tired and the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”