Magyar News, 1996. szeptember-1997. augusztus (7. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1996-10-01 / 2. szám

As a person reads the obituary in the daily papers, he comes to the conclusion that the years of a person’s life are only relative: the young die mostly through accidents, the middleaged person by oncoming sickness or accident, but old people through bodily weakness and advanced sickness that comes from and with old age. When we study the life of a nation, we find that many are trying to become independent of their mother country, particularly in former Communist nations. Some succeed through self-determination,others fail through pressure from the mother-country. We can be proud of our nation that, the United States, has succeeded in remaining alive after two hundred and twenty years, after succeeding to obtain its independence from Great Britain. But what nation can compare today with the Hungarian Nation that was established one thousand one hundred years ago in 896 under the leadership of Arpad, or what Christian nation can compare with the the Hungarian Nation whose First King was crowned a thousand years ago on Christmas Day? Or what nation can compare with a Nation that was almost destroyed several times in its histoiy only to rise up from its ruins and live again, as Hungary was after the devastation of the Tartars, the Turks and in our days the Communist rulers.

These comparisons come to mind when we consider the bravery of the youth who risked his and her life to throw off the chain of Communism forty years ago in 1956, and who succeeded in obtaining independence for Hungary in 1989. Although millions of Hungarians left their homeland after the failure of the War of Independence of 1848, many for political, economic, perhaps religious

reasons, the majority have maintained the love of the Customs of the Old Country, as they called it.This was providential,because as the exodus from Hungary happened several times, there were enough Hungarians abroad to influence others to receive the displaced persons, and refugees with welcome, housing and jobs.

Although separated by thousands of miles from their mother country, the early Hungarian settlers tried to maintain their language and customs m a foreign land while trying to assimilate and to melt into American culture. Before World War II, Hungarian officialdom and even the Church were not too interested m those who had left the country, yet after World War II and the aftermath of 1956, the Hungarian diaspora came to the aid of the countiymen with the help of their American friends to obtain housing, jobs, and food for the table.

To show how much the Hungarians abroad were interested in their mother country, in October of 1956 there was a great celebration in Washington DC, at the Catholic University of America, commemorating the Five Hundredth Anniversary of the Battle of Belgrade when General John Hunyadi, and his troops, inspired by the Franciscan friar John Capistran, defeated the Moslem Turks. As things were happening in Hungary, it seemed that histoiy was repeating itself. The experience that the Hungarians and their American friends received when they welcomed the Hungarian D.P., Displaced Persons from 1948 to 1954, helped to relocate the newly arriving Hungarians in December 1956 and the following months. Priests and ministers of Hungarian parishes descended on Camp Kilmer in New

Jersey to take out individuals, young boys and girls, entire families with children and transport them to the big cities like New York, Fairfield, Bridgeport, and the states of New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or wherever there were Hungarian Communities. Other Relief Organizations helped to spread out the refugees all over the United States. Although many think that the Unites States Government failed to give no more than lip service at the crucial time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, it is to the credit of the innumerable non-Hunganans who not only gave sympathy, but they also gave a helping hand to the Refugees.

It was unfortunate that at about the same time when the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 broke out, there was also trouble at the Suez Canal, which occupied the attention not only of America but also the countries of Europe.

While the governments were distracted by the troubles at the Suez, every week we in New York and as I learned Fr.Edmund Idranyi here in Fairfield drove to Camp Kilmer to bring out sometimes one, other times several of the refugees. One instance I will never forget as I packed a couple with four small children into my car, another couple also with four small children begged me to take them out of the camp. With eight children huddled on the floor of my car, or in the lap of their parents, I drove from Camp Kilmer to Manhattan, hoping not to be caught by State Troopers, or at the toll gates. Fortunately we arrived safely without breaking the springs of my car. All the other trips to Camp Kilmer were not az hazardous, thank God.

Rev.Emeric Szlezak O.F.M.

UPCOMING EVENTS - UPCOMING EVENTS - UPCOMING EVENTS V

OCT. 4.5.6: FRIDAY 6-10 PM: SATURDAY 11 AM-10 PM: SUNDAY 11 AM- 4 PM the Holy Trinity Byzantine Church on Scofield Ave, Bridgeport will have the ANNUAL BAZAAR. Games of chances, excellent Hungarian food and pastries. Don’t miss this.

OCT. 12, SATURDAY at St. Ladislaus Social Center HARVEST DINNER DANCE. A delicious home-cooked dinner will be served at 7:30 PM. Music is by Nick Cutrone Trio. Tickets $20.00 per person, set-ups included. For reservations call Margaret Loves 866-1116, or call Bela Szabó 866-6871.

OCT. 12 SATURDAY evening at 7:00 PM the Hungarian Community Club is having the traditional FALL DANCE at the Hungarian Hall, 145 Ward Street in Wallingford. Music

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will be provided by the Budapest Melody Orchestra. For information and reservation call 284-9899 or Lynda Kata 634-0602

OCT. 13. SUNDAY the Calvin United Church of Christ will celebrate the 70th ANNIVERSARY. At 10 AM there will be a church service at 901 Kings Highway, Fairfield. The ANNIVERSARY BANQUET at 1:00 PM will take place at the Three Door Restaurant, 1775 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport. Donation is $25.00; Children’s menu $6.00.

For information and reservation call 259-6392

OCT. 25 & 26. FRIDAY & SATURDAY at St. Emery’s School in Fairfield RUMMAGE SALE 10 AM - 4 PM, STUFFED CABBAGE LUNCH from Noon to 4 PM.Please bring a hefty appetite.