Folia Theologica et Canonica 5. 27/19 (2016)

SACRA THEOLOGIA - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., Cardinal Mindszenty and the Hungarian bishops against the communist dictatorship (1947-1974)

CARDINAL MINDSZENTY AND THE HUNGARIAN BISHOPS...

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been rejected by József Darvas, minister of religion and education on August 30lh 1950. The reaction of the government did not forget this comment: József Grosz was arrested on May 18lh 1951, then - with other eight priests - sentenced for prison on July 28'h 1951.

Here is no room to indicate every single significant decision, atrocity, etc. which was done between 1950 and 1956. Only three remarkable facts: I ) the Presidential Council of the Communist Party took over the “authority” - obviously illegally — the right of approval regarding the higher hierarchal offices of the Church23; 2) the Hungarian Bishop Conference without free will - therefore again invalidly - gave a loyal statement concerning solidarity to the legal order of the Hungarian People’s Republic, including the acceptance of the “peace- priest” movement24; 3) finally - during 1952 - the state-authorities had occupied the building of priestly seminaries of Veszpérm, Pécs, Szombathely, Vác. Only the seminary of Esztergom, Győr, Eger, Szeged, Nyíregyháza, and the Central Seminary (Budapest) remained in the hand of the Church for the formation of new generation priests. The second point is spookily similar to the law of the French People Assembly on November 29lh 1790, which prescribed the oath to the new constitution - including the reorganized ecclesiastical structure - as condition for the clergy to remain their ecclesiastical office.25

III. 1956 and Card. Mindszenty

About the armed first period (October 23rd - 29lh) and also on the so-called “peaceful” period (October 29,h - November 3rd) of the revolution and its suppression have been published many descriptions, analysis, memoires, documents, etc. which give quite precise picture from several point of views on the war of independence of 1956. Therefore, here I would like to focus only the reaction of the Hungarian Bishop Conference and in particularly on Cardinal Mindszenty.

For today there is no question how many places, from Budapest to the countryside occurred wholesale slaughter by the communist units or groups. The catholic priests constantly visited hospitals and other gathering place for the wounded to administer the extreme unction.26 Archbishop Grosz gave a radio message to Catholics on October 25lh, hoping that Catholics are not active in the armed actions. Even Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) in his Encyclical letter Luctuosissimi

23 Order of Presidential Council 20/1951 (July 3,J 1951).

24 On the same day: July 3rd 1951.

25 Cousin, B., Lapicque et la croix. Histoire religieuse de la Révalulion franyaise, Paris 1989.

26 Szántó, K., Az 1956-osforradalom és a katolikus egyház, Budapest 1992. 28-30.