The Hospital Pastoral Service of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza held a national professional day | Hungarian Courier
Berényiné dr. Márta Felszeghy, the coordinator of the Hospital Pastoral Service of the Diocese of Debrecen – Nyíregyháza, greeted the participants. “It is a great pleasure for us to have pastors, pastors, and volunteers from all over the country for the second time, who have heard the call and have had the opportunity to meet,” he said.
Vác, Salgótarján, Szolnok, Eger, Egerszalók, Budapest, Szeged, Hódmezővásárhely, Mátészalka, Kisvárda, Nyíregyháza, Debrecen, Egyek, Berettyóújfalu, Báránd were represented in the audience of more than sixty people.
How can we prepare to stand side by side in the difficulties of life? What helps a helper not give up when he or she is burdened with life? How can we bend over to each other? How should you start a conversation with a pastor, a patient visitor? How can we find hope in God’s message if life tries us? – summarized the topics planned for the present day by the Head of Service.
The greeting was followed by a Mass, presented by László Tóth, pastor of the Church of the Incarnation in Debrecen, a spokesman for the hospital pastoral service. Father Zoltán Árvai from Egerszalók, Father József Czele from Kisvárda, Father Artúr Faragó from Vác, Father Ottó Jakus from Nyíregyháza, Father Zsolt Laczkó from Debrecen celebrated with him.
In his homily, Father László Tóth reflected on the motto of the professional day. Jeremiah is one of the four “great” prophets. It came from a family of priests in Tekoa, and it functioned during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. He rebuked foreign cults, and his words were emphasized by the prophet in symbolic deeds. He was forced to hide for his hard stance, then was taken prisoner and his life was in danger. The double uprising of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people of color and good sadly justified his gloomy prophecies. Link to the name of tradition the poem lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem (the Lamentations of Jeremiah). From his book, the figure emerges before us:
he heroically undertook the unhappy loneliness of vocation, the destiny of the prophet doomed to eternal failures.
Jeremiah, when the Lord addresses him, apologizes, protests, he does not want this mission very much. Why me?… But the Lord saith unto him, Be not afraid, be not dismayed. “I make you a strong city today; an iron pillar and an ore wall against the whole country; Against the kings and rulers of Judah, against the priests and all the people ”(Jer 1:18).
The Lord confirms Jeremiah, yet there is a question in his soul: Why? I’m talking in vain, what do I get? – persecution, abuse… And it erupts in a very human way: “You have taken it, Lord!” He tried to resist, but he couldn’t. “I already thought, I don’t care, I don’t speak on his behalf anymore. But then it was as if a fire had burned in my heart and pervaded all my bones. And when I had stretched out my strength to resist, I was weary and could not bear ”(Jer 20: 9). And Jeremiah continues the mission.
We can draw a parallel with the holy lesson we read about the apostle’s second apostolic journey (Acts 16: 1-10). As Paul goes on his journey, he runs into difficulties because the Holy Spirit directs him elsewhere. The Holy Ghost gently leads the apostle Paul and his disciples in their mission. Jeremiah also feels the difficulty, strikes into a problem, but then it is as if a fire has burned in his heart – so what if it is not the Holy Spirit?
We see that
man reaches his limits in his service, in his vocation, and becomes weary, and when he goes on, he does not do it of his own strength — it is the Holy Spirit who directs, who gives strength, who shows the way. For He is called to this task, God has called him to His service, and He gives strength to fulfill it, to stand it.
A few days will separate us from Pentecost, said László Tóth. “Let our hearts be open, let the Holy Spirit fill our hearts with His power, and I wish this day is reassuring to all of us — like an oasis where we can be refreshed, gain new strength from our encounters with one another and with God, the all-renewing Spirit.
After the Mass, the participants were able to listen to three valuable lectures. Artúr Faragó, the diocesan hospital pastor of the Vác Diocesan Service, was the first to share his thoughts, I’m going to holy places. I encounter the miracles of God in myself and in the other with the title. Title of the lecture by Zsolt Laczkó, Hospital Pastor of the Diocesan Service of the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza How to start and conduct a pastoral conversation? Theoretical and practical aspects of helpful conversation volt. At the end of the morning program, Ottó Jakus, the hospital pastor of the Hospital Pastoral Service of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, gave a lecture. According to his own confession, he invited those present not so much to a lecture as to testify at the following address: How can we find hope in God’s Word if we have been wounded by life? What keeps you in the profession?
The lectures are in the courtyard of the church, providing opportunities for good conversations.
After lunch, the small participants continued to work in groups on the morning topics.
The professional day was taken by Dr. Berényiné. Márta Felszeghy closed it, expressing her hope that the audience would meet again next year. Zsolt Laczkó blessed the participants.
More report on the professional day HERE readable.
Text: Berényiné dr. Márta Felszeghy, coordinator and Monika Geréné Sárga, visitor / Debrecen-Nyíregyháza Hospital Pastoral Service
Source and photo: Diocese of Debrecen – Nyíregyháza
Hungarian Courier