Pastoral Letter of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference
On the Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The person and life example of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary have filled Christians with admiration for more than 800 years. Today, when public discourse typically presents as role models individuals who have gained fame or wealth not by their merits, in Saint Elizabeth we recall a person for whom earthly prosperity and renown were given from birth, yet she was not afraid to renounce them so that she might grow rich in true goods before God.

No written records, diaries or letters from Saint Elizabeth herself have remained: what we know about her comes from legends and biographies written in preparation for or following her canonisation. However, this does not represent a deficiency; on the contrary. Today, when almost anyone has the right to speak and express an opinion on nearly any topic, Saint Elizabeth’s silence is particularly eloquent, for she speaks through her actions.

Her high-ranking contemporaries, and even members of her own family, often regarded her with incomprehension or contempt: for them, it was unfathomable and undignified, indeed scandalous, that a princess, a member of the ruling family, would personally care for the sick and poor, consciously leaving her palace and aristocratic family for their sake. Saint Elizabeth turned towards the world and humanity, not to expose wounds, but to heal and cover them.

Perhaps the most moving moment of Pope Francis' visit to Hungary this year was his encounter with the poor, refugees, and the sick in the church in Rózsák Square, which is dedicated to Saint Elizabeth. Perhaps we take our health for granted, or that we have material resources at our disposal: yet, when we meet our more needy brothers and sisters, and allow this encounter to touch us, we can easily realise that all we so often consider our right and due is in fact a gift from God. A gift which, even if we cannot repay, we can pass on.

Our brothers and sisters who bore witness before Pope Francis in the Church of Saint Elizabeth a few months ago expressed gratitude for the reception, for the opportunities for work and housing, or spoke on behalf of those who dedicate their lives to the service of the poor. All of this is a living sign that the service of charity is not a thing of the past, as social and economic challenges, escalating war conflicts, and the thousands of refugees arriving in our country daily, make it even more necessary to have faith that boldly takes risks and steps out into the world.

It is to this active and outgoing love, turned towards others, that Pope Francis called us in his speech during his visit to Hungary and calls us still today:

“Active love, charity, means having the courage to look people in the eye! You cannot help another if you avert your gaze. Active love requires the courage to touch the other person: you cannot just throw a few coins from a distance and not touch the other! You must touch the other, you must look at the other! And thus, by touching them and looking at them, you embark on a journey with that needy person, a common journey that makes you realise how needy you yourself are, how much you need the Lord’s gaze and hand.” (Speech of Pope Francis in the Church of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Rózsák Square, 29/04/2023)

The language of love must always be concrete. ‘You give them something to eat!’ – Jesus said to his astonished apostles when he saw the crowd, before the miracle of the multiplication of loaves. In the spirit of this appeal, the Catholic institutional system, Caritas, and numerous other charitable organisations, following the example of Saint Elizabeth, typically carry out their entrusted tasks quietly, often without significant media attention, yet concretely.

Since the outbreak of the war, Caritas staff have provided food, temporary accommodation, and support for housing, livelihood, and integration to approximately 42,000 refugees arriving from Ukraine. This year, they have also assisted Hungarians living in difficult circumstances in Transcarpathia with aid shipments, generators, vehicles, furniture, and other material donations.

Furthermore, this year alone, Catholic Caritas provided camp experiences for 4,682 disadvantaged and underprivileged children in a total of 103 residential and day camps, and supported the start of the school year for nearly 10,000 children with financial aid in addition to donating school bags and supplies.

Numerous reintegration, development-oriented, and self-care support programmes, as well as crisis intervention programmes continuously operated by Caritas, provide assistance to thousands of families and children. This year, the Advent charity programme titled ‘Open Your Hearts!’ will also be launched, allowing participation in Caritas' Christmas and winter crisis activities by supporting aid campaigns or calling the donation line 1356.

Through our donations, the collection at next Sunday’s Holy Mass, or our voluntary work, we too can be part of this service of assistance. The Feast of Saint Elizabeth is an invitation for us to put into action all that we can learn from her example. In our world, afflicted by various crises, we must strive to see the troubles, difficulties, and physical and spiritual needs of others, despite and alongside our own hardships and struggles.

We would like to conclude our exhortation with the words addressed to us by Pope Francis: “My brothers and sisters, I encourage you to always speak the language of love. In one episode of Saint Elizabeth’s life, the Lord transformed the bread she was carrying for the needy into roses. So it is with you: when you undertake to bring bread to the hungry, the Lord will make joy blossom and will perfume your lives with the love you offer.” (Speech of Pope Francis in the Church of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Rózsák Square, 29/04/2023)

 

Given in Budapest, 06/11/2023.

the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference

 

To be read on 12/11/2023, the XXXII Sunday in Ordinary Time, at all Holy Masses.