Father’s Day in Paraguay is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of June. Families across the country mark the occasion with gatherings, special meals, gifts, and visits to their beloved fathers, and father figures. Restaurants often welcome families for lunch, while many people choose to spend the day at home enjoying traditional asados and quality time together. Although celebrations vary from family to family, the focus remains the same: expressing gratitude to fathers and father figures. It is a day to remember the support, values, and encouragement they provide throughout life.
This Father’s Day in Paraguay, readers of The Asunción Times opened their hearts and shared their most treasured memories of the fathers who shaped their lives. What follows is a collection of those warmest, most heartfelt memories. Some will make you smile, others may bring a tear to your eye, but all of them remind us of the beautiful, irreplaceable role fathers play in our lives.
Thank you to every reader who shared a piece of their heart, and to every father who continues to write love stories with his presence, his patience, and his unwavering devotion.
‘Even today, his strong hugs still heal my soul’
Katherine writes about her father, Juan Carlos Matiauda (56)
‘My dad is the person who made me feel truly valued,’ Katherine writes. ‘Every morning when I was a child, he prepared my teté, called me his princess, and made me feel deeply loved. Even today, his strong hugs still heal my soul.’
‘One memory I cherish is how deeply he suffered when I struggled with anxiety. Seeing his pain hurt me more than my own, so I often hid my feelings to protect him. Thank you for every kiss, every warm breakfast, and every strong hug. Happy Father’s Day. I love you forever, Dad.’
‘We still laugh about this moment today’
Julieta writes about her father, Ernesto Cristaldo (42)
‘One of my favorite Father’s Day memories happened when I was very little,’ Julieta writes. ‘I loved going to shopping malls and wanted to buy everything I saw. One day, my dad took me shopping, and I found a Barbie bedding set with pillows, cushions, and many other matching items. I wanted all of it, but my dad could not afford to buy everything.’
‘I got very upset and cried all the way to the car. When it was time to get in the car, I put my hands and feet against the door so I would not enter. My dad had to gently push me inside; we still laugh about this moment today.’
‘I want to pass on to her the same values he instilled in me’
Josias writes about his father, Agapito Morinigo (63)
‘One of the lessons I will never forget happened when I was a child. Once, the bus we were riding in lost its brakes. My dad got off first and did it correctly, but when I tried to get off, I put my feet on the ground and ended up falling. I rolled all over the pavement and got a huge scare. After that moment, my dad taught me a valuable lesson: when you have to get off a moving vehicle, you should do so in the same direction it is moving. From that fall, I learned a lesson I have never forgotten.’
‘Today, I have the privilege of being a dad myself. When I look at my daughter, I understand even more deeply the value of every piece of advice, every lesson, and every act of love I received from my father. I want to pass on to her the same values he instilled in me. Thank you, Dad, for your life, your teachings, your patience, your love, and your dedication. May God bless you always.’
‘Thank you for always finding me’
Susana writes about her father, Luis Antonio Cardozo (†)
‘One of my most cherished memories of my father, Luis Antonio Cardozo (†), takes me back to the summer of 1981, when I was seventeen years old and attended my very first concert. It was not just any concert; it was Queen, performing at the World Cup Stadium in Buenos Aires. My father took me there, but he did not go inside with me. Before I entered the stadium, he simply said, “I will come back to pick you up”.’
‘That night, more than 40,000 people filled the stadium. The crowd made the entire stadium vibrate, and I was part of that incredible sea of voices and emotions. The concert ended without any problems, but as I joined the thousands of people leaving the stadium, a thought crossed my mind: How will I ever find my father among all these people? I decided I would leave through the same gate where I had entered. Finding directions has never been one of my strengths.’
‘Around me was a river of people, all carrying the excitement of an unforgettable night. Hearts were still racing, voices were still singing, and everyone seemed to be floating on the magic of what we had just experienced.’
‘And there, outside the stadium, stood my father. My father was a loving and deeply caring man, always attentive to his children. I saw him immediately, or perhaps, more accurately, he saw me first. Even now, the memory fills me with tenderness. Among 40,000 people, I was the only one he was waiting for. In that enormous crowd, his eyes were looking only for me. And somehow, he found me.’
‘That is how I remember my father today: loving, protective, patient, and always there when I needed him. No matter how big the crowd or how confusing the world seemed, he never lost sight of me. Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Thank you for always finding me.’
Father’s Day in Paraguay: A lasting legacy
There is something sacred about the love of a father. It is often expressed not in grand words but in silent sacrifices, steady hands, and eyes that light up when his child walks into the room. A father is protector, teacher, cheerleader, and safe harbour all at once. His love does not always shout, but shows up in ways both big and small, shaping us long after we have left home.
The stories shared by our readers remind us that fatherhood is often expressed through simple moments that leave a lasting mark. Whether it is a warm breakfast before school, patiently waiting outside a stadium, laughing about childhood mischief, or sharing a lesson that lasts a lifetime, these memories continue to shape who we become.
On Father’s Day in Paraguay we celebrate not only fathers, but also the countless acts of love, guidance, sacrifice, and support that define their role in our lives. From all of us at The Asunción Times, Happy Father’s Day to the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who continue to inspire families across Paraguay.
