Reformátusok Lapja, 1971 (71. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1971-05-01 / 5. szám
12 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA PENTECOST At the first Pentecost, the Lord presented mankind with a gift; it was the Church. This Church embraces all of the Lord’s people, or according to Moffatt: a colony of heaven upon the earth. As we profess in the Apostles’ Creed: One. There is one Church. When we speak of the Church, because of man’s sinfulness, we speak of a divided Church, only one part of the Church, or only one denomination. However, Christ’s Church is the whole Church, or one Church. Universal. The Church is one Universal Church. It embraces everyone and extends over the entire world. Ecumenical — catholic — universal. Christian. The Church consists of the followers of Christ. It wants to be like Christ, to live according to His will, and to preach His saving grace in all the world. Through its members, the Church may be imperfect, but through Christ it is Christian. Hoh). The Church is Holy. It’s members are called from among the sinful, who through their confession of sin, approach Christ. The repenting struggle on in life, but their eyes seek heaven and deliverance. Their aim in life is holiness. The Church is the spiritual Mother. As a mother sacrifices her life in raising her children, so the Church lives not for itself, but for Christ and its members. It shields, nourishes and leads towards the Father. The Savior Christ gave us this Church. Be a true member of it; happy are those who live within its folds. Francis Vitéz * IMPRESSIONS ON MEETING RÓZSA IGNÁCZ Within an atmosphere of a warmly-accepting circle of literary devotées of the creative Hungarian arts, Rózsa Ignácz graciously autographed books and conversed with admirers of her works — that is, those who had turned out for this intimate literary téte-á-téte on the eve of Palm Sunday (Saturday, 4/3/71). Friends and acquaintances alike chatted and broused among the display of her books as well as other literature of well-known Hungarian writers. You might have been more than well- rewarded and delighted by Rózsa Ignácz’s comments to you on the copy of your personally selected book or books. Bishop Dezső Ábrahám (representative as host) briefly welcomed the author, honored guests and visitors attending the event and extended appreciation to those present as well as to those who set up displays of books and Hungarian hand-works of art. Dr. Andrew Harsányi then proceeded with eloquent prefatory comments and introductory remarks about the author, which recalled a conversation held with his own father some years earlier (at about the rise of Rózsa Ignácz’s fame in the 1940’s) to the effect that young Dr. Harsányi questioned his father: “What kind of writer is this woman author?” — and the very wise and egalitarian reply being: “My son, it is not so much a matter of the difference between whether one is a female or male writer but rather whether one is a good or poor writer!” The resounding applause recognized this judicious sense of expression; thereupon Rózsa Ignácz took the floor and acknowledged the well- wishing of her speaking predecessors and others of her gathered audience. She was attired in a becoming fashion, enhancing to her lithe stature and gentle features and spoke in a well-modulated cultured voice, interestingly melodious for pleasurable listening to all within the immediate realm. The content of the first half of her talk dealt mainly about herself — first as a child and how she liked to be in different places other than where she was and then revealed her developing desire to become a writer and the varied spots she traveled to. She appropriately read excerpts from various sources; one of her selections being a humorous entrée into the first chapter of one of her books, which furnished a tantalizing morsel of wit to encourage most of her audience with eagerness toward reading the rest of it on their own, presumably sometime in the future. During the second half of the program, the context of Rózsa Ignácz’s talk centered on diversified Hungarian writers such as István Sinka, Pilinszky, and Makkai — excerpts and examples of their works being orally presented by Erzsébet Laskay, whose stirringly dramatic intonations throatily exuded charmingly emotive portrayals so as to convey to the receptive audience intensely empathic feelings experienced by the artists themselves. Erzsébet Laskay, too, was attired in keeping with her glowing, serene beauty, which in turn seemed to evoke comparative tribute typically remarkable of Hungarian womenfolk; altogether, this resulted in serving to deepen the personification of the beauty of both soul and its food — that is, aesthetic artistic expression. The enhancement thus lent to Rózsa Ignácz’s endeavors in creating another work of art by way of the soirée itself, such that all present more than likely enjoyed an experiential happening that apparently was totally stimulating and satisfying to attendees as well as participants, who shared with each other poetic moments in time and space. Dr. Harsányi and Bishop Ábrahám caped the evening with fitting remarks of closure, extending the thought and anticipation of possible additional future gatherings having some such commonalities with literary bonds of interest so as to perhaps ensure and enlarge the continuity of advancing the appreciation of Hungarian artists’ works in the creative arts. — Madeline Takacs Barboe
