A Foundation to study the history of the Hungarian Church during the post-war Communist regime has been established by the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference. In their spring assembly (7-9 March) the bishops approved the statutes of the public Foundation “Ödön Lénárd” (named after the religious Ödön Lénárd, who died in 2003, the priest long held in prison during the Communist period). The Foundation’s task will be to “coordinate research and studies that may promote a greater understanding of this very difficult period in Hungarian history”. Its president will be the Benedictine abbot Asztrik Várszegi. The intention of the new Foundation explained the Hungarian Catholic press agency “Magyar Kurir” – is not to “investigate individuals”, but to shed light on the history of the Church, and the conditions under which individuals and ecclesiastical institutions had to resist” during this period. During their assembly, the Hungarian bishops also declared the Mátreverebély-Szentkút pilgrimage centre a national sanctuary, but the decision will not be officially announced until 12 August 2006, feast of the Assumption. The main dates on the calendar of the Year of Prayer now in course were also fixed, especially: 15 August, pilgrimage to Esztergom; 20 August, Budapest: solemn liturgy and procession marking the feast of St. Stephen of Hungary; 17-20 October: national pilgrimage to Fatima; 22 October, Budapest: ecumenical prayer on the vigil of the national feast in St. Stephen’s basilica; 23 October, Capestrano (Italy): a delegation of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference will travel to the birthplace of St. John Capestrano to participate in the festivities marking the 550th anniversary of the hero’s death at the battle of Nándorfehérvár.
