Fede e Luce Emerges from Underground in Hungary
I want to bring you up to date on the situation of Fede e Luce in Hungary.
The day before I was elected national coordinator, the Hungarian bishops' conference granted official recognition to Fede e Luce and eight other movements, and assured us of their support. It felt almost like the birth of Fede e Luce communities in Hungary itself… From now on, we no longer have to live in hiding or hold our meetings underground.
The retreat Jean Vanier led here in Hungary was a landmark event. Two hundred fifty people took part, received tremendous grace, and returned home enriched.
We now have eight officially recognized communities—seven in Budapest and one in the countryside—with four more in formation.
One great strength of Fede e Luce here is knowing that the Hungarian Church sees Fede e Luce as a spiritual foundation for the renewal of faith in our country. Another is that we simply don't know the word "impossible." Our communities are not closed clubs. Members know each other and help one another.
What are our plans? We want to acquire and renovate a Fede e Luce house in a Budapest neighborhood—a place where students could live (while pursuing their studies) and where friends with disabilities could gather on weekends for fellowship and celebration. Beyond the city, there is an abandoned parish we would like to repair for summer camps.
About 150 people want to join our pilgrimage to Lourdes for Easter 1991. The number seems enormous, but everyone is so fired up about it… Will we find the funds?
Warm greetings to all of you in Italy.
- Peter Zajkas
Coordinator, Fede e Luce Communities, Hungary
Milan—Together Again
Every year around mid-June, the Fede e Luce groups from Milan and the surrounding area gather in the park next to the grand seminary at Venegono. This year we went on a beautiful sunny day.
We were delighted when the group from Cuneo arrived with our dear friend Mario Collino, and when two members of the Bellinzona community showed up.
The most beautiful moments came when all the groups—about 150 of us—stood in a circle and sang a welcome song together, and later when Don Marco Bove, a young priest from Fede e Luce, celebrated Mass.
We found old friends and new ones. More than a year had passed since we last gathered, yet the joy of seeing each other again felt as fresh as ever.
It's wonderful to see that we are all still here, and that we have actually grown. During the year, we lose touch for obvious reasons, and those of us who are parents sometimes feel alone with our children—a year is so long—but this gathering reminds us that Fede e Luce is real.
I want to close with words spoken by another parent during the Mass intentions: "May the peace we feel in our hearts today stay with us even when we are alone. We ask this of you, Lord."
- Francesco's Mother