Catholic News | Parish Raising Funds for Statue in Hungary of Cardinal Mindszenty

Home

Catholic News

RSS Feeds

Daily Features

St. Anthony Messenger

Books

Catholic e-Greetings

Parish Newsletters/Services

Free E-NewslettersSaint of the DayFriar Jack's E-spirationsCatholic SAMPlerCatholic GreetingsMore e-newsletters

Sign-up for a FREE E-Newsletters From St. Anthony Messenger Press
Free e-mail newsletters for Catholics about spirituality, Catholic e-cards, Catholic saints, free Catholic product samples, Catholic catechetics and Catholics on the Internet.

Enter your email address:

Enter your full name:

Saint of the Day	Catholic Greetings Premiere	Minute Meditations
Friar Jack's E-spirations	Faith Formation Update
Franciscan Radio	Catholic Sampler

Minute Meditations
Peaceful, spiritual reflection that comes to your inbox at no cost. Drawing upon short, inspired thoughts from the popular books and periodicals of St. Anthony Messenger Press, the online edition of Minute Meditations brings directly to you a chance to take a moment from the daily hurry and worry to focus on the place of God in your life. Sign up!

Franciscan Radio
A radio ministry of the U.S. Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign and the Franciscans, designed to help Catholics know their faith and grow in their faith, American Catholic Radio airs weekly throughout the country on Catholic radio stations. It also can be found at www.FranciscanRadio.org. Our bi-weekly e-newsletter highlights content from coming shows, two weeks out. Host Father Greg Friedman discusses his topics in his blog and alerts listeners and radio station staff to future projects. The e-newsletter is free and comes to your inbox every other week. Sign up!

Faith Formation Update
Help plan your religious-education and RCIA classes with our monthly free e-newsletter aimed at religious educators. Timed to work within the liturgical calendar, this newsletter will bring you ideas gleaned from experienced teachers. Sign up!

Web Catholic
Improve your Web ministry with this free monthly e-newsletter exploring how Catholics use the Internet. Webmasters and communications professionals can keep up with what's new on the Web for Catholics and learn from their colleagues whose sites are featured. View past "Sites of the Month."

top catholic news
Parish Raising Funds for Statue in Hungary of Cardinal Mindszenty
By James McEvoy
Source: Catholic News Service
Published: Sunday, November 08, 2009

Email |

Print | Size: A A | | Rate this:

No rating

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CNS)—At the crossroads of the past, present, faith and heritage, members of St. Ladislaus Parish in the Metuchen Diocese are commemorating their roots by raising funds for a statue of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty in Budapest, Hungary.

The statue was blessed at an Oct. 25 Mass celebrated by Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest at the Szent Mihaly Church in Budapest.

Cardinal Mindszenty is fondly remembered for his opposition to the oppressive communist regime in Hungary following World War II.

The New Brunswick parish raised approximately $1,000, said Franciscan Father Capistran Polgar, pastor.

The parish grounds feature a full-size statue of the prelate, erected following his visit to St. Ladislaus when he celebrated the parish's rededication Mass in 1973.

Father Polgar said Cardinal Mindszenty stood for his beliefs and faith despite persecution and imprisonment. His perseverance and faith endeared him to Hungarians and Catholics throughout the world.

"You cannot overstate that he suffered for his faith," Father Polgar told The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen. "To me, that's one of the most significant things about him. He paid the price."

Father Polgar expressed confidence that Cardinal Mindszenty will eventually be canonized, because of his unwavering faith.

"He was beloved by everyone," he said. "He was highly admired."

Judit M. Tormasi, a parishioner at St. Ladislaus and executive director of the Camp Kilmer Alumni Foundation, said remembering Cardinal Mindszenty was a matter of pride in ethnic background and faith.

"We strive to preserve our heritage," she said. "He was an icon."

The foundation seeks to connect those who immigrated to the United States from Hungary through Camp Kilmer.

Part of maintaining Hungarian pride is passing down customs and traditions, as well as the courageous story of Cardinal Mindszenty, she said.

Laszlo Hajdu-Nemeth, a parishioner at St. Ladislaus, described the cardinal as "a hero to almost everyone" regardless of ethnicity or faith practice.

"For us Hungarians, he remains a hero across all denominations. You don't have to be Catholic to show respect for him," Hajdu-Nemeth said. "He represented the desire for freedom for everybody, for all Hungarians."

Cardinal Mindszenty did not merely defend the church in Hungary, but also openly condemned the communist regime.

"He had a backbone and he spoke out," he said, adding that the cardinal also was a great shepherd who never forgot his humble roots.

"He was a good manager from a spiritual aspect," Hajdu-Nemeth said. "He always felt even when he was a cardinal that he was a pastor."

Cardinal Mindszenty was born in Hungary in 1892 and survived persecution of both the Nazis and communists, according to the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation's Web site.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1915, he became bishop of Veszprem, Hungary, in 1944.

Months after becoming bishop, he was arrested by the communist government and charged with treason. He was named a cardinal by Pope Pius XII in February 1946.

He was eventually released after the Hungarian revolution in 1956, but was confined to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest when the Soviet Union reclaimed power. He would remain there for 14 years, unable to leave because of the Soviet occupation.

Cardinal Mindszenty died at age 83 on May 6, 1975.

More on Top Catholic News >>

MORE NEWS SECTIONS

	Top Catholic News
	Bioethics and the Catholic Church
	Death Penalty
	Ecology and Faith
	Economic Justice
	Franciscans' 800th
	Haiti Earthquake 2010
	Homosexuality, Gay Marriage and the Catholic Church
	Lent/Easter 2010
	Marriage
	Politics and The Church
	Pope Benedict XVI
	Religious Intolerance
	Respect Life
	Saints in the News
	The Church and Immigration
	The Church and Interfaith Relations
	The Church and Sexual Abuse
	The Church, Evolution and Creation
	Vocations
	War and Peace
	Year for Priests

Come find us at:

American Catholic is for Catholics, all Christians and seekers. Find Roman Catholic Saints, Minute Meditations, Catholic Church Questions and Catholic News. Post Prayer Requests and send Catholic e-cards. Discover Catholic Books, Catholic Audio Books, Catholic Videos, and a leading Catholic Magazine.