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The students and teachers of Gál Ferenc University asked for spiritual and spiritual light, strength and perseverance for the whole year’s work. On Thursday, they held a ceremonial opening of the academic year, at which State Secretary Tristan Azbej gave the young people some words of encouragement.

On Thursday, Gál Ferenc University of Szeged-Csanád Diocese held its central Veni Sancte Mass and celebration in the Cathedral. The Holy Mass was presented by Bishop László Kiss-Rigó of Szeged-Csanád, who told the young people that anyone who has a European, Hungarian identity is necessarily Christian, as the opening of the academic year on Thursday showed. He added that it has been an ancient tradition since Christian universities have existed in Europe to start the academic year with a solemn mass. He stressed that they ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit to give them spiritual and spiritual light, strength and perseverance for the year-long work. The Archpastor recalled that it is also an ancient tradition – which applies specifically to the Franciscan University of St. Gallen and its predecessors – to start the academic year on 14 September, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

In his speech at the ceremony, Tristan Azbej, State Secretary for Programmes for Persecuted Christians, said that if he could go back 20 years in time, he would have had a number of words of advice for his university years, which could be a guide for current students.

Such advice was to recognize the blessing, the gift in the university years. According to Tristan Azbej, the opportunity to acquire knowledge is also a gift for young people in Hungary, in Europe, who need to see that it is a priceless asset. He noted that in his work he has visited more than one country where children have to work from pre-school age to earn a living and therefore cannot learn. But he has also been to places where young people cannot learn because they are restricted by their faith.

The Secretary of State advised students to remember that university is also a school of self-reliance and self-management, so they should learn to set priorities, time-tables and goals.

Fotók: Gémes Sándor