HIS-Press-Service, 1979 (4. évfolyam, 13-15. szám)
1979-06-01 / 15. szám
é HIS Press Service No.15, June 1979 Page 5 EVALUATION Imre Miklós, Hungary's Secretary of State and the official director of Hungarian Church politics, took part in the jubilee celebrations surrounding Hungary's two centers of priestly training in Rome; the liturgical functions at the celebrations were performed by Cardinal László Lékai. As already mentioned, Pope John Paul II used this opportunity to speak to the leaders of Hungary's Church, who were received in a private papal audience, about the teachings of Vatican II and the thoughts present in his own first encyclical as applicable to the tasks facing Hungary's Catholic Church. Due to their traditional respect for Rome, the leaders of Hungary's Church will undoubtedly view the papal directives as authoritative statements, especially since it was only half a year ago that they themselves referred to statements of the Pope in the above-mentioned circular letter to the priests which contained directives on "contemporary requirements of pastoral care." The speech given by the Pope dealt concretely with the following matters concerning Church life in Hungary:- Be it at a time when Hungary's Church had to battle against difficulties from other countries or suffer under foreign domination, the training of Hungarian priests in Rome has always been a great help for that country's Church. The Holy Father's reference to this comforted and reassured Hungary's Church leaders, who were already extremely disquieted by "negative" influences from other countries and were beginning to exhibit isolationist tendencies. The Pope called upon the Hungarian bishops to uphold their century-old tradition and continue sending priests to Rome for their studies.- In contrast to persons in Hungary who are willing to accept a loss of quality in the formation of priests and instead seek an easier way because of the difficulties faced at present, the Pope unequivocably stated there can be no compromise in Hungary on this matter, since the Hungarian Church needs - no less than the rest of the world's Church - priests who are both holy and learned.- A difficult and precarious problem was touched upon by the Holy Father when he spoke to the Hungarian bishops - almost in passing - of the necessity of "harmonious unity." This, he said, is both the prerequisite for cooperation and the indispensable foundation for the solution of the many tasks facing Hungary's Church.- One of the important topics mentioned by the Holy Father in his speech dealt with the evangelization of the youth. The Pope stressed that the external hindrances standing in the way of implementing modern methods in the pastoral care of Hungary's youth must not keep that country's Church, even in the present situation, from offering its youth an answer to the basic questions of human existence, from calling
