Order of Malta

On 21 January, the Blessed Charles Awards were presented for the second time in the Mindszentyneum in Zalaegerszeg, at the end of a series of events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the beatification of our last Hungarian king. This time, seven people were honoured. The awards were presented by Benedek Szabolcs Fekete, Auxiliary Bishop of Szombathely, and Gergely Kovács, head of the Hungarian Chapter of the International King Charles Prayer League.

The laudation for Peter Maurer, K.M.G.O., read:

Director of the Martineum Academy for Adult Education in Szombathely, university professor, Knight of Malta. Since 2011 he has been working as the director of the first Catholic adult education institution in the country. He is involved in teacher training at the University of Sopron, where he teaches andragogy, pedagogics and cultural studies. His lectures are 'legendary' among his students. However, there is no transnational task in the diocese that cannot count on his assistance, from the organisation of pilgrimages to archival research on the canonisation of Maria Theresa Coreth. His personal motto: "We carry the bricks, let the Good Lord build."

The laudation for Dániel Solymári C.G.M.:

Head of International Relations of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, Knight of Malta. He first came into contact with the Charity Service as a volunteer in the early 2000s, and since 2010 he has been a full-time staff member of the organisation, coordinating its international aid programmes and then becoming head of the department. Under his leadership, the professional qualification of the organisation's international programmes was developed. He has worked on four continents to alleviate man-made and natural crises, in slums and refugee camps. His main vocation is to help people on the margins of society to catch up, to create better living conditions for those left behind, and to reflect on this in writing. He is a member of the Caritas in Veritate Committee on Social Issues of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards and professional recognitions.

Peter Maurer thanked the recipients on their behalf. "Divine Providence has always given humanity, in times of crisis, a torch, a light, a guide and an example, who have been witnesses then and now stand before us as models of patriotism and faithfulness to God", the Martineum Director began his speech, remembering Blessed Charles IV and Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty. He said that the recipients of the prize undertook to serve peace in their own way, like these great role models, working and witnessing to their Christian faith in their daily lives, even if they were not and are not recognised for it.

Peter Maurer recalled his memories of Cardinal Mindszenty and Charles IV: in the early 1980s, he and his parents visited the Archbishop's tomb in Mariazell, and on the 100th anniversary of the death of Blessed King Charles IV, they stood in reverence at his tomb in Madeira. He thanked his parents for giving him the opportunity to learn through them about the history written by non-winners. Referring to the great ancestors, he said: "but we can and do ask for their heavenly intercession for the betterment of the world."

Our heartfelt congratulations to our distinguished confreres!

Source: Magyar Kurír