HIS-Press-Service, 1982 (7. évfolyam, 22-24. szám)
1982-01-01 / 22. szám
HIS Press Service No. 22, January 1982 Page 10 that this command will be carried out. And yet, the Church has no purpose other than to do its part to help man become holy. Only I as an individual, however, am with God's help able to carry this out in regard to myself. And herein lies the essential difference: Whereas the country's (secular) concerns are cared for from above, useless efforts are being made to direct the aim of the Church too from above. It is only possible from below. History has shown time and time again that great movements within the Church have always come from below." Topic: We should not expect a new orientation in the area of pastoral care to come from above "Do not make any petitions or present any requests. One must not follow the deadend approach of letting things be taken care of 'from above,' such as through giving the bishop the advice to issue this or that directive. This is a hopeless and unseccussful undertaking. Due to both the faithful and also the diocesan Curia, the bishop can call for something surpassing the traditional approaches only when he is sure of having the strong support of the clergy in this regard." A dramatic change took place in the relations between the base communities and the Bishops Conference when a young academic, who was a member of a "Bulányian" group," refused to perform his military service obligations due to a conflict of conscience, which resulted in his being found guilty by a Hungarian court of law in September 1979 in accordance with the country's existing statutes. This also brought the base communities as such into connection with the affair, partly because they were suspected of "instigation," and partly because they requested that the Bishops Conference use its influence to encourage the State to provide an alternative social services program for conscientious objectors. At the time, Cardinal Lékai had already twice suggested that Father Bulányi's religious superiors transfer him to another country. Such a move would not have solved the problem, however, since the members of the questionable base groups are adults who would continue within the framework of their groups to carry on the vision of the Gospel in accordance with their own consciences. At Pentecost in 1980 in the city of Nagymaros, Cardinal Lékai took part for the first time in the national meeting of the small Church groups and celebrated a Mass with them. In his address, he summed up the message of the Bishops Conference to them by saying: "Follow the wishes of your local hierarchy. No extensive explanations are needed (concerning the fact) that Marian devotions, litanies, and meditations are a need felt by your group - but perform these spiritual exercises within the framework of the Church, be it in the sacristy, the church
