From the Prime Minister

Republic of Hungary

Budapest

December 28, 2009

Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone

Secretary of State

Vatican City

Your Eminence,

Following our recent memorable meeting, I traveled to the United States of America where I had the privilege of meeting with the Hungarian-American representatives. These representatives informed me that the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland intends to sell the churches and the religious items and furnishings within those churches for financial reasons. In the meantime, the Hungarian press discussed this procedure with vigor, both in the US and in Hungary. By November of this year, 24 churches were closed in the Cleveland Diocese, St. Ladislaus in Lorain and St. Margaret of Hungary in Orange Village among them. Similar fate awaits St. Emeric of Hungary whose closing date is set for July 1, 2010.

Hungarian immigrants of the past centuries who made the US their home felt that it was their most important duty to erect churches for their divine worship even before they settled down into their own homes. History proved that Hungarian immigrants persevered because they were able to worship in their native tongue within the walls of their churches. We, therefore, look upon the current church closure proceedings with great anxiety and fear as these proceedings not only harms their soul but causes grave damage to their national identity.

The Government of the Republic of Hungary has assured Hungarian-Americans of its support. My government intends to establish a budget to purchase the artifacts and stained glass windows of St. Emeric Church, many of which depict Hungarian saints, so that they remain in the hands of those whose forefathers built the church and for those who maintained it for over 100 years. This in no way means that we are surrendering our up hope that the decree to close St. Emeric Church is reversible.

While fully respecting the autonomy of the Church, we would like to direct Your Eminence’s attention to the predicament of St. Emeric church and would like to request Your Eminence’s intercession toward saving this church from closure and extinction so that it may continue to serve the spiritual needs for the local Hungarian-Americans.

Respectfully yours,

Signature and seal

Gordon Bajnai, Prime Minister

Republic of Hungary