Our Lady of Hungary

The 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza is being celebrated this year; its central celebration will be held on Saturday, 10/06/2023, from 10:00, in St. Anne's Cathedral in Debrecen, where Bishop Nándor Bosák, a priest celebrating his diamond jubilee, the first bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, will offer a thanksgiving Holy Mass on the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination and the 30th anniversary of his episcopal ordination, in the presence of the members of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, his brother priests, family, friends, and the faithful of the diocese.

Greetings will be delivered at the event by:
Michael Wallace Banach, Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary
Dr. András Veres, President of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference
Ferenc Palánki, Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza
Dr. Károly Fekete, Bishop of the Transtibiscan Reformed Church District
Dr. László Papp, Mayor of Debrecen

The Holy Mass will be broadcast live by Debrecen Television, which can also be followed on the diocese's YouTube channel, as well as by Saint Stephen Radio.

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Pope Saint John Paul II, with his constitution "Hungarorum gens" issued on Pentecost Sunday, 30/05/1993, changed the organisational structure of the Hungarian Catholic Church. He changed the boundaries of all dioceses with one exception and established two new dioceses with the aim of levelling out differences in population and territory, including the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza from the eastern territories of the Archdiocese of Eger and the northern territories of the Diocese of Szeged-Csanád, and the Diocese of Kaposvár.

He appointed Nándor Bosák, rector of the Eger seminary, as Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza. He commended the newly established diocese to the heavenly patronage of King Saint Ladislaus, designated the parish church consecrated in honour of Saint Anne in Debrecen as its cathedral, and the parish church of Our Lady of Hungary in Nyíregyháza as its co-cathedral. (You can read more about the antecedents and details of the establishment of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza HERE.)

Nándor Bosák retired Bishop of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza

Born in Taksonyfalva, 28/12/1939.
Ordained priest in Eger, 13/06/1963.
Appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza by Pope Saint John Paul II
on 31/05/1993.
Episcopal ordination and installation in Debrecen,
in St. Anne's Cathedral, on 15/06/1993.
Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza
21/09/2015 – 14/11/2015.
Retired from 15/11/2015.

Motto: FRANGE ESURIENTIBUS PANEM TUUM –
(Break your bread for the hungry)

Nándor Bosák was episcopally ordained and installed into office in St. Anne's Cathedral, Debrecen, on 15/06/1993, in the same year. The ordination ceremony was led by Cardinal Dr. László Paskai, who was the principal consecrator, and the co-consecrators were: Dr. István Seregély, Archbishop of Eger, and József Tempfli, Diocesan Bishop of Oradea Mare. Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary, read out the bull of appointment on behalf of Pope John Paul II. Also present at the event were, among others, Dr. József Váradi, parish priest of Nyíregyháza, and Lőrinc Orosz, parish priest of Debrecen.

Nándor Bosák considered one of his most important episcopal tasks to unite the Roman Catholic faithful living in the territory of the new diocese and to shape them into a unified diocesan community with its own distinct identity. To achieve this, it was necessary to build up the structural offices of the diocesan organisation, establish the related institutions, and set up the committees necessary for diocesan governance. The building at 4 Varga Street, which had previously served as a technical secondary school dormitory and was returned by the Debrecen local government as compensation, was converted for the purposes of the episcopal office. The new episcopal residence was consecrated by István Seregély, Archbishop of Eger, on 15/06/1994.

On 28/12/2014, Nándor Bosák reached the age of 75 and, in accordance with canon law, submitted his resignation from his episcopal office, which Pope Francis accepted, and appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the diocese until the installation of the new bishop.

On 21/09/2015, Pope Francis appointed Ferenc Palánki, Auxiliary Bishop of Eger, as Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, who was installed into office in St. Anne's Cathedral on 14/11/2015.

Ferenc Palánki Diocesan Bishop of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza

Born in Balassagyarmat, 11/03/1964.
Ordained priest in Esztergom, 18/06/1994.
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Eger and Titular Bishop of Fidoloma by Pope Benedict XVI on 27/12/2010.
Episcopally ordained on 26/02/2011 in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Eger.
Archiepiscopal Vicar in Miskolc from 2011 to 2015, and simultaneously Canon Lector of the Metropolitan Chapter of Eger.
Parish priest of Miskolc-Mindszent from 01/08/2011.
Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Eger from 2013 to 2015.
Appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza by Pope Francis on 21/09/2015.
Episcopal installation on 14/11/2015 in St. Anne's Cathedral, Debrecen.

Motto:

JESUS EST RESURRECTIO ET VITA
(Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life)

Ferenc Palánki's installation as Diocesan Bishop began with the promulgation of the papal bull, attended by, among others, Archbishop Alberto Bottari de Castello, Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary; Cardinal Péter Erdő; András Veres, President of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference; members of the HCBC; diocesan bishops from beyond the borders; Reformed Bishop Károly Fekete; Miklós Soltész, State Secretary for Ecclesiastical, National Minority, and Civil Society Relations; László Papp, Mayor of Debrecen, and Ferenc Kovács, Mayor of Nyíregyháza.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Archbishop Alberto Bottari de Castello presented the letter of appointment in Latin, followed by Dr. Zoltán Krakomperger, director of the office, in Hungarian. In it, Pope Francis, by virtue of his apostolic authority, relieved Ferenc Palánki from his former titular see of Fidoloma and his service as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Eger from 21/09/2015, and appointed him Bishop of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, as the Episcopal See of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza had become vacant following Bishop Nándor Bosák's resignation.

On the day following the installation, 15/11/2015, the Diocesan Bishop of the diocese celebrated his festive inaugural Holy Mass in the Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Hungary in Nyíregyháza.

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Some statistical data of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, not exhaustive:
Area of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza: 12148.56 km²
Population: 1,101,995
Number of Roman Catholics: 162,363 (according to 2011 census data)
Number of Archdeaconries: 2
Number of Deaneries: 7
IN THE BIHAR ARCHDEACONRY: Berettyóújfalu Deanery, Debrecen Deanery,
IN THE SZABOLCS ARCHDEACONRY: Kisvárda Deanery, Nagykálló Deanery, Nyíregyháza Deanery, Polgár Deanery, Szatmár Deanery
Number of Parishes: 57
Number of priests of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza: total 72, of whom retired: 12, active: 60
Number of male religious serving in the diocese: 6, of whom religious priests: 4, religious deacons: 1, lay religious brothers: 1, female religious: 14

Number of lay catechists in the diocese: 109
Number of acolytes in the diocese: 101
Number of lectors in the diocese: 18

Public education institutions of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza:
Tamási Áron Catholic Primary School, Primary Art School, Nursery School and Crèche – Ajak
Tamási Áron Catholic Primary School, Primary Art School, Nursery School and Crèche Petőfi Sándor Branch School – Nyírkércs
Báthory István Catholic Nursery School, Bilingual Primary School and Grammar School – Nyírbátor
Saint Philip Neri Catholic Primary School – Fülöp
Saint Anne Catholic Nursery School and Primary School – Geszteréd
Saint Anne Catholic Primary School – Nyírtelek
Saint Imre Catholic Grammar School, Bilingual Primary School, Dormitory, Nursery School and Primary Art School – Nyíregyháza
Saint John Catholic Crèche, Nursery School, Primary School and Primary Art School – Egyek
Saint Joseph Nursery School, Primary School, Grammar School and Dormitory – Debrecen
Saint Ladislaus Catholic Grammar School, Technical Secondary School, Bilingual Primary School, Dormitory and Nursery School – Kisvárda
Széchenyi István Catholic German National Minority, Hungarian-English Bilingual Primary School and Nursery School – Mátészalka

Higher education college: Debrecen Saint Ladislaus Catholic College

Public education institutions maintained by the Hungarian Catholic Church in our diocese:
Svetits Catholic Nursery School, Primary School, Grammar School and Dormitory – Debrecen
Blessed Teresa Catholic University College of Feminine Studies – Debrecen
KOSZISZ Királyfalvi Miklós Catholic Primary School and Nursery School – Pócspetri
KOSZISZ Saint Stephen Grammar School – Újfehértó

Social institutions of the diocese:
István Seregély Priests' Social Home – Nyíregyháza
Saint Anthony Elderly Care Home – Balkány
Saint Elizabeth Home – Debrecen

Forrás Spiritual Support Centre – Debrecen:
Forrás Mental Health Centre
Forrás Community Club
Starting Point Supported Housing

Charitable organisations:
Diocesan Caritas of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza – Nyíregyháza
Saint Anne Caritas Day Shelter – Debrecen
Hungarian Maltese Charity Service North Great Plain Regional Centre – Debrecen

(Source: Schematism of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza – 2023)

In this commemorative year, the 30-year-old diocese celebrated with numerous programmes and events. Three books were also published under the auspices of the diocese:
In his volume titled Nándor Bosák: Bread-Giver Anthology, one can read from the recollections, homilies, lectures, diocesan pastoral letters, interviews with him, and articles published in the press, of the retired Bishop of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, who celebrates two jubilees this year – the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination and the 30th anniversary of his episcopal ordination.
The festive special issue of the Joyful News Yearbook, titled 'In the Power and Light of God's Word', contains the homiletic fruits of the service of the diocese's priests: sermons and meditations.
Furthermore, the new Schematism of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza has also been published.

Joyful News Press Office / Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza