Pastoral Visit of Bishop Ferenc Cserháti to the St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Community of Washington, DC

The religious community organization was formally created in 2005 to represent the long-standing historical faith community of the Hungarian-speaking Catholics of the Washington DC metropolitan area. The community is named after the first saint and King of Hungary, founder of the Kingdom of Hungary in 1000 AD, precursor of the modern Hungarian State. Besides long-time residents, this community of the faithful often includes visiting relatives of members of the community and also migrants who happen to visit, study or work temporarily or permanently in the Washington, DC area.

Members of this migrant community were elated to be recognized and honored as a visible and vibrant faith community, who wish to worship and serve not only in the language of their adopted country, but in the language of their ancestors as well. The community also wishes to be spiritually connected to its homeland of origin, Hungary, including the Hungarian-speaking brothers and sisters of the countries now surrounding Hungary where there are still sizable Hungarian-speaking faith communities, namely in Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, the Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia and Austria. These communities of believers are mostly survivors of the political break-up of the historic lands of St. Stephen imposed in 1920, and the expression of kinship with them is an important component of the spiritual journey of the community. They also feel strong ties with all the Hungarian-speaking communities in the United States and Canada, who share their joys and concerns.

The visit of Bishop Cserháti was organized by Fr. Barnabás G. Kiss OFM (Pastor/Delegate, Detroit, MI), with the assistance of Fr. Ágoston Bagyinszki OFM of Hungary, who currently serves in the pastoral ministry of the St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Community of Washington, DC.

Bishop Cserháti’s visit opened with the celebration of the Holy Mass in Hungarian at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and was followed by an agape or luncheon at the Westchester apartments in Washington, DC.

In his homily Bishop Cserháti shared with the worshipers his pastoral mission that reaches from the Carpathian basin, that is, Hungary and the neighboring countries, to Vancouver in Canada and Sydney, Australia, to spread the good news and prayers for the unity of the Church and the unity of the Hungarian migrant communities. He cited Pope John Paul II in saying that “the prayer of the Pope covers our whole wide world”, and also made reference to the 2000th jubilee year of the birth of St. Paul, the Apostle of migrants, which the Roman Catholic Church had celebrated throughout the year.

Commenting on his personal journey at the luncheon, Bishop Cserháti recalled that he was five or six years old in his native town of Túrterebes (today in Romania) when he felt was called to serve God at a time of dictatorial repression. He reminded his audience that he never felt pastoral service required any particular knowledge apart from the ability to pray and serve. He was particularly touched by the courageous stand of the late Cardinal József Mindszenty, who endured prison in the totalitarian regime of communism and, after October 1956, lived in internal exile, but never wavered in proclaiming that “love is able to overcome everything”.

After the luncheon, the participants had the opportunity to voice some concerns of the community, not only in the United States but also overseas. With this pastoral visit, the St. Stephen of Hungary Catholic Community has experienced a renewed sense of community and they will pray to have the blessing of a permanent pastoral ministry.

János Szekeres/Magyar Kurír