Magyar News, 2002. szeptember-2003. augusztus (13. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2003-02-01 / 6. szám
A Parish Celebrates loo Years By Antonio Procaccini Since the beginning of the year 2000, events centering on the life of King Saint Stephen of Hungary (977-1038) and the New York City parish bearing his name once again have brought this important historical figure to mind. In New York City, various churches combined efforts to celebrate the 1000- year anniversary of King Stephen's coronation, which dates back to Christmas Day of the year 1000. The major events included a mass honoring Saint Stephen in Saint Patrick's Cathedral (August of 2000) and a visit to New York by Hungarian Cardinal László Paskai in October of the same year. On August 5, 2001, Saint Stephen of Hungary Parish began its centennial celebration with a solemn mass presided by a visiting Hungarian priest, the Reverend Doctor István Seregély of Eger. The ceremony was given almost entirely in Hungarian and, in addition to opening the centennial, recognized the original sponsoring parish in Eger. Even parishioners who do not speak Hungarian understood Seregély's message because he also narrated partially in English. The luncheon and reception following the mass, attended by nearly 300, helped further mark the church's day and demonstrated the passion parishioners have for both the Hungarian roots and for the parish community generally. On September 15, 2002, at the conclusion of the centennial, His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, J.C.D., Archbishop of the Diocese of New York, served as principal celebrant and homilist for a combined parish mass, one that serves both English- and Hungarian-speaking members. In keeping with the volunteer spirit of the parish, many contributed time and effort to a moving event witnessed by a full church. In his homily and spontaneous closing comments, Cardinal Egan expressed deep appreciation for the Franciscan community of Saint Stephen's and the numerous volunteers who sustain the parish. "I was delighted to be able to join the clergy and faithful of this remarkable community of faith to thank the Lord for the presence of the Hungarian Catholic community here in the Archdiocese of New York over the past 100 years. The beauty of the church, the excellence of its liturgical music, and the devotion of the faithful were for me not only an enjoyment, but also an inspiration." He also mentioned his prior acquaintance with many of the day's participants, including Father Emeric Szlezák, O.F.M., former Parochial Vicar of Saint Stephen's who now serves Saint Left: Rev.Barnabás Kiss, Rev. Dominic Csorba and Rev. Neil O ’Connell celebrating mass together Right.Rev. Emeric Szlezák,Father Dominic, Rev. Barnabás Kiss, Rev. Neil O 'Connell and Rev. Andor Rakaczky celebrating Father Dominic’s 40th anniversary of ordination Above: Cardinal Egan, Reverend Gamba-tese and Reverend Devlin. Below: Cardinal Egan with parishioners Ferenc and Franciska Harangozó Emery's Parish in Fairfield, CT. (Cardinal Egan is the former Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bridgeport, CT). As noted by parishioner Charlotte Rogers, "the Cardinal's homily and remarks at the end of the mass made everyone in the church proud of our history and proud to be a part of Saint Stephen of Hungary Parish." Saint Stephen's former pastor, Reverend Neil O'Connell, O.F.M., who also attended, was equally impressed by the Cardinal's personal touch. "It was wonderful to see how well Cardinal Egan grasped the history of the parish". It should also be noted that during his nine years as pastor there, Father Neil developed a deep understanding of Hungarian history and the Hungarian language and helped establish a strong rapport among the Hungarian churches on New York's Upper East Side. Father Vianney Devlin, O.F.M., Parochial Vicar at Saint Stephen's, took note of the Cardinal's attention to the Franciscan community: "The Cardinal talked of the Franciscans who do so much in the Archdiocese and said he would not want to imagine their absence." Perhaps the most poignant story recounted by the Cardinal was his recol-Page 4
