Magyar News, 1992. szeptember-1993. augusztus (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1992-09-01 / 1. szám
(continued from page 1) doors, reconciled families and peoples entangled in animosities. Many sought his protection and found refuge under his protection. Many royal families were united with his through marriages from one end of the continent of Europe to the other. England’s King Edward’s son Price Edmund married on of Stephen’s daughters, Agatha. Stephen’s granddaughter Margaret became queen of Scotland, wife of King Malcolm III. Emperor Otto III was his best spokesman with the Holy Father. Stephen allowed the pilgrims to take their route to the Holy Land through Hungary. He built monasteries in Jerusalem and Ravenna. He build a magnificent church in Constantinople. He kept up with the Cluny reform in France and had an ongoing correspondence with their Abbot. The Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino received a golden cross from King Stephen. King Casimer of Poland found refuge at Stephen’s court, so did the other sons of King Edward and the saintly Bruno from the Bavarian royal family. St. Adalbert, the bishop of Prague was persecuted by the Czech king, who had his family murdered and home burned to the ground. This saintly bishop found refuge too at Stephen’s court. Stephen’s name was a household word and a name of inspiration. During his lengthy, 42-year long reign there was a long interval of peace". This was helpful for the king to supervise the conversion of the Magyars. Those who fought his efforts he put down one by one with firmness. He consolidated the nation’s internal affairs. He secured one church for every ten villages. He created ten episcopal sees and a primal see in Esztergom. He organized the whole land into small, governable counties, which still survive to this day. He left no stone unturned to create and maintain a strong and unified country. He kept Hungary an open and a friendly country vis-á-vis the neighbors. When attacked, he was ready to defend his people with resourcefulness without hesitation. He shared or delegated his authority with competent men. He brought effective measures against any attempt of disorder. He legislated a successful system of laws that created order and security for everyone. In short, St. Stephen founded a respectable state, converted his people to Christ, while he himself lead an exemplary life. His wife, blessed Gisella, was the sister of Emperor St. Henry II. By the time he requested the crown from Pope Sylvester II, the Holy Father was eager and happy to send it with his blessings along with the apostolic double cross as a sign of his recognition for Stephen’s apostleship. Under Stephen’s watchful eyes a Christina nation was bom to become an example to the world. When he had written his Ten Admonitions to Emery, he already had a long history to back up the written words. Those words reflected the inner heart and the actions of the wise and holy king of the Magyars. The genius of S L Stephen is found in his three top values. The first indispensable and the highest priority of a nation is its commitment to religion. A nation receives its vitality and resource for creativity, therefore, the guarantee of survival from its faith-experience. The second most important priority, the logical concomitant of religion, is faithfulness to the Church, whose vocation is to keep religion pure and uncontaminated. The monarch of the Magyars demanded and insisted on absolute reliance and faithfulness to the Church. His third category of his sine qua non prerequisites is the high priests of the Church, the bishops. It is from among them that the best advisors were sought and found, and are to be sought. Loyalty to the nation’s elders, wisemen and noble leaders follows these first three imperatives. The latter were to be “your brothers, whom you must honor and respect.” How important did the Magyars consider the Ten Admonitions of St. Stephen can be readily seen from the fact that the Corpus Juris Hungarici always incorporated them among its collection of laws. They were part of our national codex even in our 20th century. Let us cite these treasured admonitions by which Stephen’s dynasty, the Árpád House, survived for 300 years. Observe the diligence and care with which Stephen chose the words of his lengthy but important introduction. There is a sense of suspense as if he foresaw and knew that the weight of the figure would hang in the balance. We may do well to reflect on the prophetic words of St. Stephen because his Admonitions to Emery, his would-be-heir, are directed to our present day, to those of our brothers and sisters in Hungary who are charged with the task of leading our beloved nation. Keep in mind that due to the world’s highest abortion statistics in Hungary, the population in actual numbers has begun to decline: the nation is dying off! The Church has been neutralized for four decades. Morality is shattered. Hungary has the highest suicide rate. Those who perpetrated the destruction of the country still retain their position in and outside the government. The economy is in an unjust disarray. Public confidence is declining. Faith is not allowed to be taught to the young in the 95% Christian Hungary. Our first long and founder speaks to our generation too: 1“I order, bequeath and counsel you, • my beloved son, if you find the honor of the royal crown desirable: uphold the Catholic Apostolic Faith with diligence. Because those who cling to their false beliefs, or do not fulfill, substantiate their Faith with their deeds, do not reign here honorably nor will they have a share in the crown of the Eternal Empire. But, if you hold onto the shield of faith, you will also take on the helmet of salvation. If, however, whenever under your jurisdiction they would find such (a person) who would want to dismantle the Constitution of the Holy Trinity, to remove something or add something to the same, to such do not give nourishment, nor protection, lest you, yourself should seem to be their associate and benefactor. 2 Indeed, in the royal palace after this faith itself, the Church holds second place, first propagated as she was by our head, Christ; then transplanted, firmly constituted and spread through the whole world by his members, the apostles and holy fathers. Keep the cause of the Church close to your heart in order for it to increase and not to suffer injury. 'I Let the high priests be your counselors. A Consider the lords of the state as your fathers and brothers. C Keep far from yourself anger, pride, * envy. ^ In your judgments be patient and mer* ciful, especially with the weak and those who suffer violence. Be gracious and merciful. Always live the virtue of charity. Remember the example of the Lord who said: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. H Hear the counsel of the elders and * men of greater wisdom. q Follow yourancients, the laws of your predecessors but above all the decisions of your father. Q Receiveandappreciatethealien.They * bring new customs, weapons and knowledge which things advance every nation and elevate the royal court. IA My beloved son, delight of my heart, -■-''•be earnest, steadfast in prayer. Be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death. All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain to the heavenly kingdom. As we celebrate the 992nd anniversary of the coronation of S t. S tephen, our nation ’ s birth as a kingdom, let us pray for our Magyar brothers and sisters in our fatherland that as they prepare for the 1994 elections, our beloved Hungary would experience a Christian rebirth in harmony with the Admonitions of our great founder and patron, St. Stephen, our first king. ROOFING SHINGLES LEADERS JOHN BOGNÁR ROOFING & SIDING 73 Melrose Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06605 (203) 579-4316 Free Estimates» Full Insurance GUTTERS SIDINGS EUROPEAN NAIL SALON Judith Racz 16 Fiske St. Fairfield, CT 06430 Tel: 333-1468
