After six years of hard work and prayer, the Alexian Brothers Hungarian Mission opened the St. Elizabeth Home on June 5, 2009. It was a very joyful day for Brother Joseph Francis, CFA, Brother Pio Szabo, CFA, and the Alexian Brothers staff. They greeted their first new resident with open arms and flowers.
The facility was dedicated and blessed about a month earlier, on April 24. The Holy Mass Gospel and sermon was given by Father Andrew Bausz and the St. Elizabeth Home was blessed by Father Andrew Toth. Many local businessmen and politicians attended this event, including the Mayor of Gyorujbarat, Hungary, the manager of David Baud Construction and engineers.
Below is the sermon given by Father Andrew Bausz, entitled, "The Ways of God."
The Ways of God It happened that a decision was made in the second half of the 1980’s. The motorway under construction reaches the confines of Győrújbarát. The former land of the priest in Nagybarát coincided with the track of the motorway. The priest’s land had to be immediately swapped or else the Church would get the sum of a few hundreds of thousand forints due as compensation. The decision was followed by quick deeds. As an exchange for the valuable piece of land, the church was given the site next to the church (cemetery) of Kisbarát filled in with debris and rubble. The trick came to light, however, the president of the local council – and not the dean – was the master of the situation then. The priest and the representatives of the parish were irritated but could do nothing about it. As years wore on, God intervened all at once. God spoke to the only solemnly professed Hungarian member of the Alexian Order:“Bro. Joseph Francis, request permission to go to Hungary, you will be needed desperately there.” Brother Joseph Francis Czébán obeyed, and – with the assent of the Order – he arrived on 23 February 2003 after the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he started his mission. Since his settling was detected by the devil, thousands of obstacles were put in his way. He overcame a great number of difficulties, however, he was given neither construction nor extension permit for the site in Győr-Ménfőcsanak Brother Josaeph Francis called it Nazareth. God spoke to him again:“Joseph Francis, pass over to Győrújbarát, you will find there a priest and parish representatives of good will, they will help you.”Joseph Francis was not idle; he obeyed the command of the Lord. This is the way the Alexian Brothers settled in Győrújbarát Brother Joseph Francis named it Bethlehem “ House of Bread”. Let us see how much good has been given by God for a bad thing. - Probably we cannot even have the slightest idea concerning the spiritual and religious benefits of the Order’s settlement. - For the sake of constructing the monastery, the parish in Nagybarát sold the site, the purchase price formed the basis of the renovation of the church in Nagybarát, though donations were also necessary. - For the sake of providing for the further development of the Order, the Order needed another site. Thus the Order bought the unused garden of the residence of the parish priest in Kisbarát and the former Catholic school. It all contributed to the renovation of the church in Kisbarát. - Thus, the churches in both Kisbarát and Nagybarát have properly been renovated. What do we have to do after all these?Let us give thanks for God’s providence and ask His help for His servant, Joseph Francis in joining new members to the community in the monastery, starting the life in Saint Elisabeth Home and accomplishing its mission.
