The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1982 (9. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1982-01-01 / 1. szám
January, 1982 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 3 Letters to the editor:— Dear Mr. Chomos: Enclosed is my donation toward the establishment of a Hungarian Cultural and Educational Institute in Ligonier. For many years I had hoped to see a Publication such as the Eighth Hungarian Tribe, which would represent all Hungarian Organizations. Now we finally have one in the Eighth Tribe and I will help promote the needed circulation in the Chicago and North West Indiana area. I also wish to thank those who helped promote the Eighth Tribe. We realize you have a difficult task in publishing and are with you in this great effort. Very sincerely yonn, Louis L. Ambrose Chicago, Illinois Dear Editor Chomos: Allow me to express my sincere hope that you are steadily improving in every healthful way — for you are a man of great value to all who read and enjoy your work! In as brief summary as I can, may I share with you and with the readers of the Eighth Tribe some of our recent experience in Europe: A never-to-be-forgotten experience it was indeed. The days spent in Rome and in the Vatican may be summed up as “hours” packed to the brim with memories — enough to last a lifetime! Only the knowledge that His Holiness lay in a hospital, suffering from wounds inflicted by a would-be assassin, kept this occasion from being a completely perfect one. It would he difficult to adequately describe the courtesy, kindness and respect with which my wife, Josephine, and I were received in the Vatican at the time of the presentation of the score and tape of the Premier Performance of “Benedictus Dominus” by the West Suburban Philharmonic Orchestra of Cleveland, Ohio and our very able and talented singers: soprano Mary Eileen Fogarty, alto Sandra Osborn, tenor James Morley Marr, baritone James Hilton Luce. Can you possible imagine what a thrill we felt, being accompanied by the robed Msgr. Stefano Mester papal prelate, walking beneath the Colonnade of St. Peter’s Sqare, to the entrance of the Vatican Palace where we entered through the Bronze Door, passing between Swiss Guards, who saluted us so mightily we could barely keep our composure! Upon our return home, we found awaiting us in our mail a letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State, dated July 15, 1981, and forwarded to us by the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, D. C. It read as follows: Dear Mr. Kiss, His Holiness Pope John Paul II has directed me to thank yor the musical score and recording that you presented for his acceptance. He wishes you to know, that he is grateful for your thoughtful gesture and that he appreciates the sentiments of courteous respect which prompted. His Holiness cordially invokes upon you and your wife God’ gifts of peace and joy. Sincerely yours, Msgr. G. B. Re, Assessor. You may be interested to know that a copy of the score of the “Benedictus Dominus”, as well as a tape of the Premiere Performance, is now in the hands of F. Szabó, S.J., Director of the Hungarian broadcasts, daily of the Vatican Radio. He expressed his interest in the work, and will share it with other nationalities, who broadcast in 35 different languages for a total of 30 hours a day. This was made possible through the intervention of my dear and highly valued friend in the Vatican, Fr. Dr. Raymund Rákos, a Minority priest from Hungary — a Franciscan friar, who since 1049, has occupied the first confessional to the right of the Altar of St. Joseph in St. Peter’s Basilica — hearing penitents in Hungarian, German, and Italian. He, himself, had worked for 15 years on the “Pope’s Radio” — which by the way, is 50 years old in 1981. I might mention, here, that it was the confessional of Father Rákos that Pope John Paul II used for more than an hour on Good Friday, 1981, to hear about 20 Confessions in whatever languages the penitents wish to use — the first pope known to have heard Confessions of ordinary people in St. Peter’s. While in Rome, responding to a request by St. Stephen’s Pilgrims’ House, I conducted a musical appreciation program on Sunday evening, July 10, at which time I had occasion to play to a large audience a tape of the “Benedictus Dominus”, as well as other selections from past concerts by The West Suburban Philharmonic Orchestra. Needless to say, the response was very enthusiastic and greatly apreciated! From Italy, we went to Vienna and to Salzburg, from there to Budapest, Hungary. In Budapest, we had the extreme good fortune to be received by Dr. Ivan Palos, Auxiliary Bishop of Esztergom, to whom we gave a tape of the Premiere Performance of the “Benedictus Dominus”, which he graciously offered to personally present, on our behalf, to Cardinal Dr. László Lékai Archbishop of Esztergom, Hungary. In Budapest, as well as in Debrecen, where I had spent my early childhood years, I met with friends in musical circles, who were intensely interested in hearing the “Benedictus Dominus”, and of course, I was “intensely” happy to oblige! Sincerely, János Kiss Cunductor and Music Director The West Suburban Philharmonic Orchestra Cleveland, Ohio YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED TO KEEP THIS MAGAZINE ALIVE! BE AN ADVOCATE IN ITS BEHALF.
