Mindszenty High School was presented the Mindszenty Medal Award from the country of Hungary during a brief ceremony this week with the Honorary Consul of Hungary to Palau.
The Mindszenty Medal Award was earlier award by the Mindszenty Society in Hungary, at the Hungarian Parliament to commemorate 70 years of Mindszenty High School’s years of service “commemorating and indeed making proud the name of the late Cardinal.
His Excellency Ambassador JozsefBencze of Hungary to Palau, in his message to Mindszenty High School said that the Cardinal Peter Erdo, Primate of Hungary fully endorsed “that MHS receives the highest award put forward by the Mindszenty Society”. The award was received on behalf of MHS by Ambassador Benzce with Father Thomas Toth, the Secretary of Hungarian Bishops Conference.
Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Ambassador Benzce relayed his regret for not being at the presentation of the award stated, “Please receive this Mindszenty Medal, with and on behalf of all the teachers, students and staff of the Mindszenty High School as token of gratitude and encouragement from the Mindszenty Society for your hard and dedicated work.”
Father John Paul, receiving the medal on behalf of Father Rusk Saburo, Episcopal Vicar of the Catholic Church and Mindszenty High School, asked to relay their “joy and gratitude” to Ambassador Bencze and Hungary for the honor bestowed.
Mindszenty High School was named after Cardinal JozsefMindszenty of the country of Hungary when the school was just getting formed by Father McManus. According to Mindszenty High School principal, one of the earlier benefactors of the school recommended that the school be named after Cardinal Mindszenty.
Cardinal Mindszentywas alive at the time and was being held prisoner by pro-communist regime in his country for standing up against the communist rule. Prince Primate, Archbishop of Esztergom, cardinal, and leader of the Catholic Church in Hungary from 2 October 1945 to 18 December 1973.