Bishop András Veres, the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference (HCBC) president, discusses the imminent papal visit to Budapest and other pressing concerns, such as the most recent European synodal deliberations in Prague and Hungary's contentious reputation in the West.
Bishop Veres' Interview
The National Catholic Register reported that during his March 27 interview, Bishop Veres discussed the primary challenges presently facing the local Church and the recent European Synod on Synodality discussions in Prague. He also explained why the Holy Father visited Budapest 18 months after attending the Eucharistic Congress in 2021.
He also lamented the widespread lack of knowledge about his country in the rest of Europe that has contributed to this anti-Hungarian prejudice. Bishop Veres hopes that by presenting a more accurate picture to the world, he will be able to alleviate some of the existing anti-Hungarian discrimination.
In addition, the bishop stated that it would be an opportunity for many Hungarians to generate a different view of their country in the international community, which is regularly singled out by European elites for policies that are deemed to be too conservative and criticized for being too neutral in the complex context of the war in Ukraine.
The bishop was born in Pócspetri in 1959 and has served as conference president since 2015. Pope Francis nominated him bishop of Gyr in 2016, and he has held both positions since then. In addition, he serves as the grand chancellor of the venerable Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest.
The much-anticipated trip that Pope Francis is planning to make to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, will take place at the end of this month, from April 28-30.
Also Read:Pope Francis Leads Inspiring Easter Mass for Thousands in St. Peter's Square
Papal Visit to Budapest
According to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, announced on Monday, February 27, that "accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial Authorities, His Holiness Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to Hungary from 28 to April 30 2023, visiting the city of Budapest."
Bruni's statement was issued in response to an invitation to Pope Francis by Hungary's civil and ecclesial authorities. The visit of Pope Francis will be the 41st Apostolic trip that the Pope has taken outside of the Vatican. Throughout his trip, which will last three days, Pope Francis will meet with youngsters from the Blessed László Batthyány-Strattmann Center, as well as refugees and individuals living in poverty.
As is the norm, the Holy Father will deliver a speech to members of the government, civil society, and the diplomatic community. He will also speak to bishops, consecrated persons, deacons, pastoral workers, priests, seminarians, and young people. Finally, he will address members of the academic and cultural communities.
Moreover, the Vatican News reported that in 2021, the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference (HCBC) welcomed the announcement of the Holy Father's visit to Budapest for the closing Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress is scheduled from September 5-12, 2021. The HCBC hopes that his visit will serve as a great source of spiritual inspiration and encouragement for all attendees of the congress and future participants as well.
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