Apostle to the youth

He admirably resembled the Lord in his love for souls, especially those of young people.

By Sr. Zdenka Turkova, S.H.M.

The solemn liturgical celebration for the beatification of Stephen Sándor, a Salesian brother and martyr for the faith, was held on October 19, 2013 in the square in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest, Hungary. The liturgy was presided by Cardinal Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, who petitioned for the Servant of God to be enrolled in the book of the Blessed. After a brief presentation of the life of Stephen Sándor, made by Procurator General Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, Cardinal Angelo Amato, papal representative and Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, read the Apostolic Letter in which Stephen Sándor was declared Blessed.

“Religious persecution creates a gulf between human beings, but the martyrs with their sacrifice build bridges of brotherhood, forgiveness, and acceptance. (...) Consecrated life is truly a white martyrdom, lived from day to day in fidelity to the Gospel and the charism of the congregation.  ,” commented Cardinal Amato and others.
Stephen (Ištván) Sándor was born on October 26, 1914 in Szolnok (about 100 km northeast of Budapest, Hungary). His father Ištván worked for the railroads and his mother Mary was a homemaker. He was the oldest of three brothers. His parents were profoundly Catholic and thus practiced the faith, offering their children a firm foundation of stable moral norms. His brother Janos, upon recalling the family atmosphere, commented, “We had a happy childhood and were raised in a religious family. Our parents were very simple. Our father took us to church every Sunday and gave us an example for our entire life. Faith, love of country, and love of family were the most important values in our family. We prayed together at home and attended Mass together. We still have the rosary that our mother would use when we prayed together.”

Stephen had a happy childhood. Even as a child, he stood out for his desire to help his friends and support them in their hardships. He was kind, cheerful, and profound. He was a natural leader who organized all the games. He also used to help his brothers to study and pray, striving to set a good example for them. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation with great enthusiasm and devotion, taking the name of St. Peter, whom he promised to imitate. Every day he helped serve at Mass in the church of the Franciscans and received Communion. On seeing all he did for the youth, these religious advised him to enter the Salesian community so as to fulfill his desire to work with youth. Stephen took their advice seriously. He began learning more about his future spiritual family through the Hungarian version of the Salesian Bulletin. That was how he got to know Don Bosco and all he had done to help the youth. Stephen was captivated by the Salesian ideal and in the end, after much effort received his parents’ permission and in 1936 entered as an aspirant at the Clarisseum, a printing school in Budapest.

He then began his novitiate, which had to be interrupted by military service. He managed to finish the novitiate and took his first vows. He was immediately sent to the Clarisseum, where he began technical courses. He also served as an assistant at the Oratory, a task he carried out with competence and enthusiasm. He took charge of the Young Catholic Workers and his group was recognized as the best in the Movement. In 1942, he had to re-join the army. There he worked as a telegraph operator and managed to form a small group of soldiers who, attracted by his example, agreed to pray with him. He always tried to keep in contact with his superiors. His letters reflect a clear concern for his spiritual life, given the fact that he was exposed to such harsh conditions and difficult situations, especially when he was on the Russian front. He ended up as a prisoner of the Americans who sent him home. In 1944, he returned to the Salesian community. After World War II, he became involved in the physical and moral reconstruction of society, especially for poor young people, making the effort to teach them a trade. On July 24, 1946 he made his perpetual vows as a Salesian brother. In 1948, he obtained the title of Printing Master.

Meanwhile, events began to precipitate in his homeland. In 1945, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Angelo Rotta, who aided in the rescue of many Jews, was expelled from the country. On February 13 of the same year, the Soviet army liberated Budapest and brought Hungary under the influence of the Soviet Union. Shortly afterwards came the education reform whose goal was to eliminate  religious education. On November 4, 1945 there were state elections in which the Communist Party won 17% of the vote. Despite this fact, they took control of the entire country, supported by the Soviet army. The Catholic press was very limited. By 1946, the Salesian printing school had closed and only the printing press remained. In July of the same year all religious groups, youth and adult alike, were dissolved and many of their leaders sent to jail. The Salesian printing press was closed in 1948. That same year the Hungarian government confiscated all schools and facilities, including the Salesian schools and great pressure was placed on parents to stop sending their children to religious instruction or catechesis. After 23 years, the official work of the Salesians was forced to come to an end. In 1950, all religious orders and congregations were dissolved and religious superiors were deported to convents previously chosen by the regime. Young religious, seminarians, and novices were sent home. They had to find a job and be incorporated into the labor system.
Stephen Sándor began working at public printing presses and simultaneously establishing a strong clandestine apostolic activity among young people. He was presented the opportunity to immigrate abroad, but did not feel right abandoning the youth in such difficult times. The Communists devised a plan to gain influence over 30,000 orphans who were in Hungary. They gave the orphans a three-month-long course of indoctrination and then tried to insert them within the Communist Party. Some of them – those who had been educated in religious schools – kept in contact with their superiors despite the ban, Stephen included.

In the end, the secret police learned of his activity and began to follow him. Stephen changed his name, but was still discovered. He was arrested while at work and nothing was known of his whereabouts until the fall of the Berlin Wall. He was brutally tortured in an intent to make him “declare his crimes”. On October 28, 1952 a secret process was held for 9 police officers, 5 young Salesians and 2 students. Following the trial Stephen Sándor and 3 police officers were sentenced to death for treason against the Hungarian state. Stephen was hanged on June 8, 1953. Only after 1990 was it demonstrated that he had died a martyr of the faith. The site of his burial remains unknown.
His cause for beatification was opened in Budapest on May 24, 2006. Stephen Sándor admirably resembled the Lord in his love for souls, especially those of young people, for whom he generously suffered trials and dangers of all sorts, ultimately crowning his efforts with the sacrifice of his own life.

©Magazine HM º176 January-February 2014