Cancer survivor Marietta Ebo (with microphone) shares how her faith healed her during the faith sharing between parishioners of San Roque Parish in Mambaling and IEC delegates. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Hungarian priest says growing secularization threatens Catholic faith in Europe
European missionaries used to travel to spread the faith. Centuries later, it is Europe whose faith is dwindling.
Hungarian priest Fr. Laszlo Monostoro, vice chancellor of the archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest, pointed out this irony during the Parish Encounters last Wednesday at San Roque Parish in Mambaling, Cebu City.
Fr. Monostoro spoke of churches closing down in parts of western Europe, because people no longer went to church.
He said that although Europe, of which Hungary is part, has a long history in the Catholic Church, it now faces the threat of increasing secularization.
“People very often do not care about God. They don’t care about the Church. And this, we heard from the homily, very often they don’t have time for God, or even worse, they don’t feel it’s important to pray to God,” he said.
Around 300 delegates from the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) flocked to the parish to be with the local church goers in the area.
Throughout the parish encounter, the visiting religious continually commented on the remarkable strength of faith and adoration of the Eucharist shown by the Filipino people.
“Maybe one time we will need you to come to Europe to give faith, to teach us about Jesus, to teach the European people it is a good thing to belong to Jesus,” he told parishioners in Mambaling.
Peter Cardinal Erdo, DD, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, who celebrated the mass at San Roque, thanked the attendees for filling up the church despite the dreary weather.
About 2,200 people attended the Mass.
Marietta Ebo, a 75-year old cancer survivor, said it was her faith in God and the Eucharist that helped heal her. She had been diagnosed with diabetes, stage three breast cancer and mild stroke.
“I’m happy to see here in Philippine islands, and especially in Cebu city, that here is not like in western Europe. Here you are a full church, full of people… and that for you it is really important to praise Jesus, to belong to him. It is good to see,” Monostoro said.
Sister Helena Schuschnigg, who serves in the Church of Perpetual Adoration in Budapest, said that many people no longer recognize priests or nuns. She even recounted an experience where she was asked by a commuter in the train if she was going to be one of those taking first communion.
“That’s funny, but it’s not so funny everyday,” she said.
“It’s just to tell you how much we have come in Europe, in de-Christianization – people do not know anymore what it means to be a priest, to be consecrated, what it could maybe give to their lives to believe in Jesus. We reach out to those Catholics who still come to church and they’re faithful, they are there, but they are facing a very difficult everyday life in a society that is very much different,” she added.
After the faith-sharing, the delegates were led to the San Roque gym behind the parish, where two lechons, cannelloni, Thai-style chicken and Hungarian pork loin awaited the pilgrims.
Banderitas adorned the ceiling while a row of colorful flags and flowers made of native materials decorated the stage.