Fraternity-Testvériség, 1978 (56. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

1978-10-01 / 4. szám

FAREWELL TO THE DECEASED POPES

Pope Paul VI was born in 1897 in the small town of Conesio, Italy. His name was Giovanni Battista Montini. He was 23 years old when lie entered the priesthood. He was active in the Italian youth work. He taught political science. From 1937 he worked in the Vatican. In 1954 he was appointed archbishop of Milano and in 1958 cardinal. He visited Hungary in 1938 as the secretary of cardinal Pacelli, who later became pope Pius XII. In 1963 he was elected pope. Paul VI applied the new conceptions of his predecessor into the life of the church. The language spoken by the people was permitted to be used in the liturgy of the church. The emphasis of ecumenicity brought the church into a closer relationship with other Christian denominations. We give thanks to Almighty God for his dedicated life and for his services to build the Kingdom of God on earth.

On August 26th the conclave of 111 cardinals elected cardinal Albino Luciani at age 65 the 263rd pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He endeavored to identify Itis reign with the spirit and ideology of his predecessors: John XXIII and Paul VI. Accordingly, it was logical that he chose his papal name John Paul I. He was born in Forno di Canele in 1912. His father worked in a glass factory. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1935. During the years of 1937-1947 he taught in the Seminary of Belluno, Italy. In 1958 he was appointed bishop, in 1969 archbishop and in 1973 cardinal. His papal reign lasted only 34 days. In the morning of September 29th, he was found dead. During the night he suffered a fatal heart attack. His sudden unexpected death was a shock to the Christians, irregard to race, color or creed. The impressive funeral service was televised to 31 countries. His coffin was lowered a few steps away of John XXIII and Paul VI, the two pontiffs who preceded him and whose names he chose. At the service the United States was represented by President Carter's wife, Rosalynn and Vice President Walter Mondale. He will be remembered as the “People’s Pope’’ or “Smiling Pope” because of his genuine love to humanity and his sincere affection and concern for the lives of millions in the underdeveloped countries.

Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Poland was elected the 264th pope and the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. It was the general thought that the cardinal would be the successor of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, the Primate of Poland. Instead he became the new pope

of the Roman Catholic Church. He assumed the name of John Paul II in homage of his predecessor, John Paul I. The dual name of John Paul indicates that the new pope is determined to follow the goals set by his three predecessors. These are the changes made by the Second Vatican Council in church government, liturgy, ecumenicity and theology. The policy of pressing for religious freedom in Eastern Europe was most triumphant in Poland. Cardinal Franz Koenig of Vienna is the most respected authority on the religious life in Eastern Europe. It is said that he lobbied with enthusiasm for the election of the new pope. He claimed that the church would benefit from the leadership of a man who has personal experience of being a religious leader under a Communist regime. Tbe 58 year old pontiff plans to go to Poland next May for the 900th anniversary of the death of St. Stanislaus, Poland’s patron saint. The new pope’s father was a steelworker. He lost his mother at age 9. His father died during the German invasion of Poland. He became a priest in 1946. Received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rome; his Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Krakow. He was appointed bishop in 1958, archbishop of Krakow in 1964 and cardinal in 1967. In the spirit of traditional Polish-Hungarian friendship the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America extends its most sincere greetings and best wishes to Pope John Paul II.

(A.G.)

☆ ☆

NEW CHURCH BUILDING IN POLAND

In the vicinity of Krakow the government planned to built a new Stalin city without a church. The steelworkers of the Nova Huta steelwork plant sent their representative delegates to the Archbishop of Krakow to assist them to build a new church in the modern socialist planned new city. A financial drive was started toward the new church building fund. The people in Poland and the Polish Ethnics generously contributed toward the new church building fund.

It is not an easy project to build a new church in Poland, particularly in the new Stalin city of Poland. Many building plans were rejected. Violation of building codes made the building plans rejection mandatory. Finally, two years ago the new church building was erected to the glory of God. Cardinal Vojtvla dedicated the new church with the following famous statement: “God moved into this city!”

(A.G.)

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