Synodality touched the heart of Hungary

A conference, a survey on the renewal of the Catholic community, and a billboard campaign highlighting key issues – three initiatives designed to support the implementation of synodality in the Hungarian Church.

To what extent has Pope Francis’ vision of a synodal Church found space in Hungary? How do bishops, priests, monks, lay believers, both men and women, see each other as partners? Where should we look for paths to renewal? These are the questions addressed at the „Synodality in Hungarian” conference, held on March 1st in Budapest, Hungary. The entire day was spent together at the Sapientia College of Theology of Religious Orders, and the gathering was characterized by a shared commitment to the future of the Church, non-judgmental listening, openness, and, last but not least, a spirit of joy.

The conference was attended by representatives from 13 Hungarian dioceses, 14 religious orders, and 11 spiritual movements. Of the 200 registered participants, 144 were laypeople, 20 were priests, 25 were monks, and five were permanent deacons. In addition to Catholics, two participants from the Hungarian Reformed Church were welcomed, emphasizing the organizers’ commitment to ecumenism.

The conference, organized under the patronage of Cardinals Péter Erdő and László Német, aimed to continue the momentum of the Vatican Synod of Bishops held last autumn. Among the participants were Sister Nathalie Becquart, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, Michael Wallace Banach, Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary, bishops, religious men and women, as well as lay theologians, including Klára Csiszár and Tibor Görföl.

The conference was organized in collaboration with the Sapientia College of Theology of Religious Orders, the intellectual workshops of Egyhaz2030 and Megujul.hu – initiatives for the development and the renewal of the church –, with support from the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops.

Coinciding with the conference, Megujul.hu launched a survey asking participants about their views on the state of the Hungarian Catholic Church and on which areas the Catholic community in Hungary requires renewal. The survey is supported by a billboard campaign, through which organizers are drawing attention to the initiative across the country. The billboards address topics such as women, divorced and remarried Catholics, and the relationship between the Church and politics.

This conference will be followed by additional mini-conferences in several dioceses across Hungary over the course of this year and next, bringing the message of synodality to the local level.

Written by Szilárd Szőnyi

Photos: Attila Lambert/Magyar Kurír