BL. SZILARD BOGDANFFY, BISHOP AND MARTYR

BL. SZILARD BOGDANFFY, BISHOP AND MARTYR - 3 OCTOBER

BLESSED SZILARD BOGDANFFY, BISHOP AND MARTYR

Szilard Bogdanffy was born to ethnic Hungarian parents on February 21, 1911 in the village of Feketeto, then Austria-Hungary, now Serbia. The Bogdanffy family is a Transylvanian Armenian family which was granted nobility by the Habsburgs.

Bl. Szilard went to the Piarists high school. After his final exams, he was accepted to the Catholic seminary of the Latin-rite Diocese of Oradea, Romania. He was ordained a priest by the bishop of Oradea, Istvan Fiedler, on June 29, 1934.

He continued his studies at the University of Budapest, where he earned a PhD in philosophy and dogmatics. He then became professor of the Catholic seminary in Oradea and confessor at the Ursuline convent in the city. In 1939 he was followed by the Royal Romanian Secret Services for alleged anti-Romanian activity.

During World War II - because he was hiding Jews - he was also interrogated by the Hungarian Fascist gendarmes.

After the end of the war, the new Romanian communist leadership started a campaign against the Christian religion (especially against Catholics). As a consequence, the Vatican allowed secret consecration of bishops.

Bl. Szilard was consecrated as bishop of Oradea of the Latins and auxiliary bishop of Satu Mare on February 14, 1949 by Gerald Patrick O'Hara, Regent of the Apostolic Nunciature to Bucharest.

The new bishop was arrested and imprisoned only two months later. He had previously been approached, on several occasions, by representatives of the regime, with the request that he lead an "independent Romanian Latin-rite Church, with no ties to the Vatican" which he adamantly refused.

Until his death he spent four years as a captive in various prisons throughout Romania, including the evil-reputed Cape Midia camp at the Danube-Black Sea Canal. He fell seriously ill, being affected by bad conditions and regular torture.

At Aiud Prison, as the Byzantine rite Catholic bishop of Lugoj, Ioan Ploscaru recalled, Bishop Bogdanffy was "humble and serene, always ready to help his fellow sufferers".

Although lying sick with serious pneumonia, the prison doctor refused him the necessary medication claiming he was not worthy of it. He died in solitary confinement on October 3, 1953 at Aiud Prison.

Information from Wikipedia

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Blessed Szilard may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

WELCOME

Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 February - Saints by date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 ...

ST VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA - 7 JANUARY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY Saints celebrated on the 7th of January WELCOME! SAINT VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA Saint Valentine (Valentinus) is the patron saint of the diocese of Passau. The Proprium of Passau relates his life story as follows: Saint Valentine came from the seashore and arrived at Batava, today's Passau. Here he wanted to proclaim the gospel to the inhabitants, who were ignorant of the true worship of God, and therefore went to Rome to obtain the necessary authority from the Pope for this undertaking. Upon his return, he invested much time and effort to gain those lost souls for Christ, as the Pope expected him to. Valentine himself thirsted for their salvation, incessantly preaching the Divine word to them. After some considerable time, however, Valentine realised that all the seed he had sown fell on rocky ground. Thus he travelled again to Rome with the request to be sent to another place that had fertile soil. The Pope received him graciously, consecra...

FATIMA APPARITION - 13 AUGUST

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 13th of August Marian Feast Days WELCOME! FATIMA APPARITION - AUGUST 13 The Fatima Children “BUT IN THE END MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH.” But in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me; it will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. THE AUGUST 13 EVENTS On August 13, the children were in jail at Ourem. The civil administrator threatened to boil them in oil if they did not tell the Lady’s secret. Though badly frightened, they could not think of disobeying our Lady. In disgust, the administrator finally freed them. A large number of people, not knowing that the children had been kidnapped, went to the Cova for the scheduled appearance of the Lady. At noon, there was a loud clap of thunder. Then, according to an eyewitness: “Right after the thunder came a flash, and immediately we all noticed a little cloud, very white, beautiful and bright,...

SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

Search This Blog