Christians who no longer want to go to church listen to ideologies that deny the value of community life, family, and belonging.

The Hungarian community in Transylvania must take care of its representation, it cannot give up any political instrument, it cannot give up on having a say in the decisions about it - said EP representative Loránt Vincze on Sunday in Szengericé in Transylvania, where a community center was rebuilt with Hungarian and Romanian government support the reformed church was inaugurated.

The RMDSZ politician, who is applying for a new mandate in Brussels, explained in his welcome speech: the Christian community is in a privileged position that can build, where churches are built and renovated, where congregation houses, kindergartens, crèches, social homes, new work points of the diaconate network are opened.

You rarely see something like this in Western Europe: there, depopulated Christian churches become hotels, shopping centers or even restaurants, because

Christians who no longer want to go to church listen to ideologies that deny the value of community life, family, and belonging.

Loránt Vincze said: While visiting Transylvania, he noticed that everywhere there are small and large investments that improve the lives of the communities, because in many places there are plans that can be implemented with European Union funding, Romanian government resources, local government funds, and with the caring support of the Hungarian state .

The EP representative congratulated the Reformed pastor Attila Batizán and the church community of Szentgerice for the work done. As he said

the job of the politicians is to smooth out the construction work, to ensure that the funds are constantly available, but for this the community must unite in the upcoming elections in order to maintain its representation in Brussels, Bucharest and in the municipalities.

"We must preserve what is ours, remain in every institution where our fate is decided, so that we can continue to have our own voice in the European Parliament, and confront those who are the enemies of the Hungarian community," said the politician.

In his speech, Péter Ferenc, the president of the Maros County Council, who is applying for a new mandate, pointed out: the real value of the church building in Szentgerice is not shown in its price, but its real significance becomes visible when it is filled with life by the community that worked for it.

According to him, it is clear that there is an active, vigorous community living in the Nyárád settlement, which has goals and can achieve them.

"We need such a brave decision on June 9, when we can decide whether we will cast our vote in favor of continuing developments and drawing EU funds, or let others decide and develop for us," said the head of the Maros county municipality.

Réka Brendus, head of the department of the State Secretariat for National Policy, highlighted that the Szentgericei is perhaps the only Reformed church in the Nyárád region that has been able to grow in numbers in recent years:

the congregation of barely 300 members set an example of faith and determination, they not only searched for financial resources, but also helped with joint efforts to rebuild the priests and the pastor's office first, later to renew the church itself, and then to build a church building from the old parish.

"Somewhere, this is the key to the unity and strength of a community, if it has plans for the future, its belief that the plans can be realized, and it does what it takes to make them come true," said the head of department.

At the thanksgiving service on Sunday, assistant bishop Vilmos Kolumbán, chief registrar and deacon István Bíró preached. Both the Hungarian and Romanian governments provided HUF 15 million in support for the construction of the Reformed community center in Szentgerice, realized by the reconstruction of the old parish.

MTI

Cover image: Participants at the thanksgiving service held for the church house rebuilt with the support of the Hungarian and Romanian governments and the municipality of Backamadaras on the day of its handover in Szentgericé, Maros county, on May 5, 2024.
Source: MTI/Gábor Kiss