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Following her visit in the spring, Dr. Judit Ozsváth, lecturer at the Institute of Pedagogy and Applied Didactics of Babeș–Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, returned to our university in November within the framework of another Erasmus+ mobility program. In her lecture held on 18 November for the students of the Faculty of Theology at Gál Ferenc University, as well as in the accompanying workshop sessions, she focused on Áron Márton as an educator.

The guest from Transylvania was warmly welcomed by Dr. Levente Serfőző, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Affairs, and Head of the Diocesan Catechetical Office.

Dr. Ozsváth began her lecture, titled The Principles of Christian Education According to Áron Márton, by presenting the life path of the renowned Transylvanian intellectual and the political, economic, cultural, and social circumstances of the Hungarian community in Transylvania during his era. To support the understanding and retention of the numerous dates and events, the lecture was designed to be interactive, employing elements of cooperative learning organization. (Dr. Ozsváth also teaches methods of catechetical instruction in Cluj and indicated in advance that interactive methods and techniques would be a key focus of her classes in Szeged as well.)

Within the framework of cooperative group work, expert groups explored various periods of Áron Márton’s life, and then shared the knowledge gained in mosaic groups. These mixed groups then illustrated the significant stages of his service, the locations, and the key events on posters and on a timeline drawn on the floor. At the end, students were even given the opportunity to step into different segments of the timeline and express their own reflections (agreement, personal impact, connections, etc.) regarding the activities carried out by Áron Márton during the respective periods. Thanks to the active engagement, participants gained a thorough understanding of the material and demonstrated with confidence that they could recall it in all its depth.

During the workshop sessions, participants also examined several of Áron Márton’s reflections on Christian education, published in the educational and community-building journal Erdélyi Iskola, which he founded and edited together with Lajos György. These included texts such as The Task of Catholic Pedagogy, Career Choice and School, The Teacher’s Work and Livelihood, The Message of the Silenced Bells, Following the Ideal, Family and Nation, A School with Open Doors, and Nation and Culture. The students again worked in cooperative groups and also applied several drama-pedagogical techniques, which served primarily to link the historical ideas to contemporary contexts.

The lecturer expressed her satisfaction that the students not only understood but also embraced the nearly hundred-year-old ideas, and many considered them worthy of following in their own future pedagogical work.

The workshop concluded with a joint prayer offered for the beatification of Áron Márton. Support for organizing the sessions and providing the necessary materials was offered by Vera Vargáné Bögi, staff member of the Catechetical Office of the Diocese of Szeged.

After the sessions related to Áron Márton, the students gave unequivocally positive feedback to the lecturer and expressed their gratitude for what they had learned and experienced together.