HIS-Press-Service, 1980 (5. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1980-06-01 / 17. szám
HIS Press Service No.17, June 1980 Page 2 person of Christ through faith, which in turn results in the surrender of ourselves to the word of God and a realization of its meaning. The Pope then went on to describe in detail the specific catechetical needs of children, young and older adolescents, and adults. Referring specifically to the internal situation within Hungary's Church, he then mentioned some tested and proven ways and methods of promoting and intensifying catechetical instruction. In concluding, the Pope turns again to the letter's addressees, specifically concretizing the special role each group is to play within the framework of the possibilities available to them. THE BACKGROUND Catechetics Within the Framework of Hungarian Church Politics The following paragraphs offer a short analysis of the Church and Church-political background specifically referred to by the Pope in his letter. Until the end of the Second World War, two hours of religious instruction weekly were held in all Hungarian schools. In addition, sound religious upbringing was also provided by numerous confessionally-run schools (40% of the primary and 20% of the middle schools). In 1948, these confessional schools were nationalized. The law responsible for this nationalization did not actually affect the obligatory hours of religious instruction; in fact it contained a passage specifically guaranteeing their continuance. From this time on, however, the influence of the members of religious orders was lacking in the confessional schools since, in accordance with the wishes of the Hungarian Bishops Conference, the members of the orders terminated their teaching activities rather than enter the employment of the State. This decision also led to a loss of pension rights which had been theirs as teachers. In the following year, the government passed a law (Nr. 5/1949) stipulating that religious instruction in all schools was to be offered only on an optional basis. The regulations set up by this law for carrying out such optional instruction actually greatly hindered such instruction in the primary and secondary schools through accompanying discriminatory and retaliatory measures. In other types of schools, no type of religious instruction was to be held at all. One or both of the parents of a child must register the pupil for religious instruction either verbally or in written form on a specially designated day. The religion classes may only be held directly before or after the normal school hours. The pupils participating in religious instruction are organized in groups, whereby the number comprising one group is to be approximately that of a normal school class. At times, pupils from various schools and of various age levels are
