On November 4, the two new undersecretaries of the General Secretariat of the Synod, Fr. Giacomo Costa, S.I., and Sr. Elena Massimi, F.M.A., met with the bishops of the Hungarian Episcopal Conference during their ad limina visit.

In presenting the synodal journey undertaken by the Hungarian Church, the bishops recalled how the very preparation for the 2021 Eucharistic Congress served as an early model of synodal work.

In recent years, several initiatives have been developed at the national level. One of these is the website megujul.hu (“renewal”). Various symposia and synodal meetings have been organized at the national level. A series of meetings is currently underway in various dioceses, such as the one in Budapest on “Synodality in Practice.”

As for the fruits of the synodal process, they mention a strengthened sense of belonging to the Church and to local communities. In the Diocese of Vác, a Council of Deacons has been established alongside the Priest Council. Transparency in decision-making is increasing, as is participation in pastoral planning.

Regarding the difficulties encountered, the bishops note the persistence of a mindset among the faithful that expects certain “services” from the Church—such as the administration of the sacraments—and a reluctance to commit themselves further. Another difficulty is the polarization of opinions within the Church, which is not of a theological nature but is influenced by public debates in society.

For the Hungarian bishops, the fundamental prerequisite for the practice of synodality is mutual listening and open dialogue. At times, they acknowledge that changes are already underway that foster, at the institutional level, a culture of mutual listening and the participation of the People of God; yet at the same time, they recognize that much remains to be done—especially in the areas of communication, listening to younger generations, establishing a presence in the digital world, and changing mindsets—so that communities may become more missionary and more open to proclaiming the Gospel to the world.