austraLasia

Project Europe - Hungary (2)

By Bro. Geza Nadudvari, SDB
Provincial Economer UNG

Budapest, Hungary, 16 July 2017 -- Second part of a deep insight - sharing of the Provincial Economer of the smallest European Salesian Province (Hungary), Br. Geza with his simple interview:

How did you experienced the beatification of Blessed Istvan Sandor in 2013?

In 2013 I was the only Salesian Brother in Hungary, and so the Brother’s Vocation was not a very strong appeal to any youngster, everyone considered as the first step towards priesthood. So when the beatification was published, it was the first time that the Salesian Brother vocation was publicly widespread.

It was a very good idea from our Center in Rome, that even other Salesian Brothers from Europe should come for a few days meeting to Hungary before the Beatification event, to strengthen and celebrate their vocation. It was a fantastic experience for me, as main organiser, welcoming more than 80 Brothers from all around Europe, from Portugal to Poland, across Italy and Germany.

We were honored to have several members of the General Council to give us conference about various topics of the Salesian Brother vocation. It was an amazing, joyful and very enriching three days in a humble place not far from Budapest, at the first Salesian house of Hungary that is now a retreat and youth center, a small Hungarian Becchi.

On the very day of Beatification, we organized the feast on the square in front of the Cathedral of Budapest, with the presence of more than 300 Salesians that was 10 times the number of all Salesians in Hungary! But also the people who attended the celebration, showed up in such a high number, that never seen before on this place. Bl. Stephen Sandor was a humble confrere, so I think he never would have thought, that he would be celebrated in such scale.

Some people even asked, why there is someone beatified, who didn't do anything extraordinary in his life, and the reply is simply the secret of the Salesian spirituality, that we learned from Don Bosco inspired by St. Francis of Sales: you don't have to do anything extraordinary, but your duty, and that way you can achieve the sanctity, the salvation of your soul. Indeed, the programs, like the feast of the youth after the Eucharistic celebration in a big sport hall showed, that pure celebration and joy is possible, if we don't commit sin but we follow the will of God.

So the beatification was not only a single event, but was the main point of a series of programs, that showed to the public and youngsters, that Salesian life and within it the brother vocation is integrated in today's life, possible to live and follow, and it is dear to God and a great way to live a Christian religious life, where the sole purpose is to save souls for the heaven. We consider God's blessing through the intercession of Bl. Stephen Sandor the new vocations ever since, including lay brother Salesian confreres, who now arrived to the Hungarian province.

So the beatification we can say, had a very rich heavenly blessing that can be compared only to similar extraordinary events like the Bicentenary of Don Bosco.

What is the 'Sandor Effect' on the SDB consecrated vocations in your province?

The main idea that Salesian Brother vocation is complementary with Salesian Priest vocations within the Salesian Congregation is now strengthened. That means, those who accept Brother vocation are not just humble enough not to 'continue forward' towards priesthood, but also the figure of Salesian Brother is more obvious and visible to many, because Bl. Stephen Sandor is widely known among the youngsters.

Today also those, who never considered priestly vocation, gladly respond to God's calling to become a Salesian as a Brother. But we consider it more as a blessing from heaven, that no human effort can achieve. Actually almost every year we have at least one Salesian Brother vocation since we have Bl. Stephen Sandor. Indeed after the Beatification we are blessed annualy with new Salesian novices!

Blessed Steven Sandor Community in Manila is a true point of reference for Salesian Brothers in Asia - Oceania. Do you know about any other SDB institutions under the protection of Blessed Brother Istvan?

We have recently heard of a school in Angola, Africa, that is named after Bl. Stephen Sandor, we are not yet aware about any other else. Of course we would like to receive more news from some other provinces in the growing regions of Africa and Asia.

In Hungary we just started a humble 'Museum of Blessed Sandor' in the former provincial institute (called Clarisseum), that we will receive hopefully back from the Hungarian government. Up to now we had only the church attached to it, and the sacristy, where everything is connected with Bl. Stephen Sandor. Last June 2017 we have open two rooms as an Exhibition hall with materials from and about Bl. Stephen, it was inaugurated on his liturgical Feast day, 8th June 2017.

An elderly Hungarian confrere agreed that we will arrange his beatification, if Istvan Sandor get us back the (property) of Clarisseum Institute. Indeed now seems, that Bl. Stephen does fulfill this promise, since from September we will receive back one corridor with other 3 rooms of the same building. We believe the rest will be also Salesian property sooner or later.

We send our best regards from Hungary, sincerely in Don Bosco,

Photos: Blessed Steven (Istvan) Sandor Museum - Budapest, Hungary (open June 2017)