HIS-Press-Service, 1985 (8. évfolyam, 26-28. szám)
1985-03-01 / 26. szám
HIS 4r Press-Service--------Special Topic: Religion and Church in Hungary -------------------------------------- No , 26 - Vi enna, March 1985 THE FACTS After 30 Years Hungary Has Again a Retreat-House for the Laity Since July 1983 Hungary - after 30 years - has once again an official retreathouse for the laity. It is situated 26 km north of Budapest in a bend of the Danube. The address is: St.Gellêrt-House of Retreat and Study, H-2016 Leányfalu, Móricz Zsigmond út 141-143. BACKGROUND Previous History of the Retreat-House The decision to establish the house was announced by the Hungarian Bishops Conference following their autumn meeting in 1977; at the same time it was decided to start a correspondence course in theology for the laity and to erect a Catholic Old Poeple's Home. The retreat-house was supposed to be ready in 1980 but it was later decided to give priority to the other two projects and not to start building until these two had been completed, for financial reasons. The basis of the retreat-house was formed by the foundation known as the Maria 2 Köhler Donation: a plot of land measuring 7,394 m with a small villa. Maria Kohler bequeathed this private property to the Catholic Church for social and cultural purposes, and thus it came into the possession of the diocese of Székesfehérvár. Incorporating the small villa into the new retreat-house, construction work began on these premises in the spring of 1981. In December of the same year the foundation stone was laid and the document of foundation was deposited; Cardinal Casaroli had already blessed the foundation stone in a ceremony in St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest on 28 September 1980. The plans for the house are from Attila Emó'di. Accomodation 30 single bed-rooms with anteroom and bathroom (shower and wc) are at the disposal of the retreat-participants. The head of the house as well as the two retreat leaders each live in an apartment; two guest-rooms are reserved for the course leaders. On the first and second floor there is a lecture-hall, the
