We received a very interesting report on the renewal in Hungary, written by Sr. Agnes Sztrilich SSS. She works for the Movements by the Secretary of the Hungarian Bishops Conference and she is a member of the NSC.

Dear Brother,

It is difficult to answer how are we doing in the Renewal in our country. The Renewal has been present since 1976 in our country, and we experienced some up and down. In the last ten years there is a NSC monthly coming together, and there is a larger National Council coming together twice. Every year we had a big meeting, a National Conference, with usually 7-10 000 people.

In the last ten years were born strong communities in Hungary: Emmaus, Emmanuel, Beatitudes, Little Sisters and Brothers of St. Francis, New Jerusalem, and there are a lot independent prayer groups.

The direction of the Renewal is now toward the evangelisation. The international evangelisation ministry KEKAKO does a wonderful job in the whole country (The Benedictine Abbot accepted them officially). Some leaders are working together with the non-Catholic denominations.

Every Pentecost there is a gathering on the top of Gerhard mountains, above Budapest, to pray for Europe, for Budapest, for Hungary. Before the political election has been organised a big intercession-evening for Hungary. It is very good to see, that many prayer groups are led to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament In the small cities and villages they organise weekly adoration for everybody.

We have a Newsletter for the groups and communities, and a web-side, and some e-mail list to corespondents. It is very big help to discuss about the experiences, about the questions. There are some good priests and lay/men moderating the lists.

The Hungarian Bishops Conference will give a bishop for the movements. He belongs to the Renewal and has connection with the Emmanuel-community.

In the country there are regional meetings and it is very good. But we have difficulties too: 

- there are tensions between new American style and more still meditative style; - there are tensions because of the new charismatic-denominations (they are very strong against the catholic church and the young people coming back from these groups are strong in the Spirit but very weak in the teaching of the church);
- there are tensions because of the "toronto blessing";
- there are questions because of the mysticism and private revelations (Vasula);
- the NSC is in some aspects isolated (the members of the NSC are overloaded, some members are in the leadership of a big covenant- or religious community, and everybody works in a full-time job);
- the independent prayer-groups want to hold their independency, they are afraid for the too big influence of the covenant-communities, the covenant-communities have their independency; 
- so the circulation of the information isn't very good.

It seems to me it is time to find a new way to serve the Renewal in Hungary, to give more responsibility to young generations, but they don't serve the whole Renewal in Hungary only their own part in it. We experience this now, that we didn't get news who wants to come to the European gathering.

- There is a tiredness in the Renewal and there is a new begin. In the last months the political elections brought a discussion about the participation in the social-political question: "only" to pray or to take part in the social life. We see how deeply wounded our people are because of the 40 years communism. The only way is: return to God, ask the help from the Holy Spirit, accept from Him power to expel the anxiety, be strong in Spirit against the fear, and give testimonies about these experiences. By the last election were the old communist and new liberal parties re-elected. They are against the church and they try to put fear on the people who want to stand for the Christian values.

You see, we have questions, we experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of our weaknesses.

Come Holy Spirit!

Sr. Agnes Sztrilich SSS

(I am a member since 1960 of the Society of the Sisters of Social Service, grounded in Hungary 1923, our charisma: the devotion to the Holy Spirit, to live in Benedictine Spirituality, to serve the common-good, the live after the Social Teaching of the Church in modern (up to date) form. We are one international community: "Society of Apostolic Life" accepted by Rome. We have wows. I am in the leadership in Hungary)

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To get more information on CCR Hungary you can mail to Sr. Agnes Sztrilich, Városligeti fs. 45, H- 1071 Budapest, sztrilich@mkpk-pi.sulinet.hu or NSC-chairperson Laszlo Gorove M.D., Hungarian Ambulance Service, Budapest, Robert K krt. 77, H-1135 Tel: +361-350-6645, Fax: +361-350-0387, gorove@bp.mentok.hu

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Reflection from Poland: The Polish Charismatic Renewal has some similar problems. It is very good material to discuss with NSC-members and others in the European Gathering in Czestochowa, September '02; particularly during some seminars. You can meet Sr. Agnes Sztrilich SSS and many other European leaders in Czestochowa.

All the information on the Gathering, including registration form and prices, is on the web: http://www.isidordata.se/akks/europe and www.iccrs.org (different languages) and in a leaflet that can be ordered from the Registration Office, ul. Sienkiewicza 60, 90-058 Lodz, Poland, tel./fax 0048 42 637 04 25, email: kzk@odnowa.opoka.org.pl