HIS-Press-Service, 1980 (5. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1980-11-01 / 18. szám
HIS Press Service No.18, November 1980 Page 3 the living participation of Hungary's local churches in the universal body of the Church of Christ. 3. The depictions of the saints with which the chapel is decorated remind us that these were persons who, through their indestructible faithfulness to Christ, were capable of offering themselves up in service to their brothers and sisters. As >; champions of justice, freedom, and peace, they furthered the human and social spirit of the people they served. From the times and works of the saints, the Holy Father continued, there arose the civilization of Europe, which is founded on the Gospel of Christ. It is from them too that genuine humanism originated, a humanism which places prime importance upon spiritual values. In concluding, the Pope expressed his desire that the chapel become a place of prayer and enlightenment for Christians and men of good will who are interested in actively promoting peace in the interests of a secure and truly human Europe. His special wish for the Hungarians is that they protect and promote both the religious tradition given them by the past and the generous love for their country. Stefan László, the bishop of the Diocese of Eisenstadt and the "son of a Hungarian father," began his sermon in a Mass celebrated by him on 9 October with the following words: "One factor has remained constant throughout the history of the Hungarian people - faithfulness: faithfulness to God, faithfulness to their homeland." The Hungarian Chapel which has been erected in the vicinity of the grave of St. Peter is an expression of this two-fold faithfulness. "And both of these, faithfulness to God and faithfulness to ones fatherland, are a service to man and, beyond that, to society and, going still further, a service in the interest of world peace." The Hungarian Chapel and Diaspora Hungarianism The special significance of this event was heightened by the fact that through this occasion the Hungarian Church of the homeland and the Hungarians living in the diaspora in the West were brought together under the patronage of the Pope. About one-third of the world's 15 million Hungarians live outside of Hungary. Some of them live as minorities in the countries resulting from the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy; others 1 ive dispersed throughout the earth's five continents, withtheexception of those living in the countries which were once a part of Hungary, most of the Hungarians not in Hungary are to be found in North America and Europe. Approximately 80 Hungarian parishes care for the Hungarian Catholics of North America. Hungarian press publications are also available to them, as well as Hungarian-language weekend schools, university professorships, and other institutions through whose help great religious and cultural achievements are made in the promotion and protection of Hungarianism. In 11 countries of Western Europe, there are 34 Hungarian parishes set up to provide Hungarians living there with pastoral care in their own
