Partnership for a better future
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Partnership for a better future
Our king Saint Stephen, founder of the Christian Hungarian State, established the Diocese of Csanád in 1030. The county was given its present name and its current territory was established in 1993 based on the decision of Pope John Paul II. The Diocese of Szeged-Csanád is the third largest diocese of Hungary in terms of its territory and belongs to the Kalocsa-Kecskemét Archdiocese. Its public administration area of 10,851 square kilometres comprises the entire Békés and Csongrád-Csanád Counties and part of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County. The number of inhabitants living in its territory is 820,000 including 234,000 Catholics. The Diocese (whose patron saint is the martyr bishop Saint Gerard of Csanád) is headed by the Rt. Rev. Dr. László Kiss-Rigó, diocesan bishop. There are 68 active priests and 14 retired parish priests in the Diocese.
One of the greatest operators of religious institutions of the country, the Diocese of Szeged-Csanád considers the service of the society and the community as its duty, and performs it, in addition to preaching the gospel, by maintaining 40 institutes of public education: kindergartens at 33 sites and primary and secondary schools at 40 premises. Five schools of the Diocese offer vocational training, so the organisation has gained significant experience in this field, too: the contribution of the partner of the project is essential in the activities aimed at developing vocational training in the cross-border area. In addition, Gál Ferenc University having four faculties is also operated by the Diocese of Szeged-Csanád in the Southern Great Plain region.
Persons in need are supported by the Charity Organisation of the Diocese: nursing and care services for the elderly are provided by Bálint Sándor Diocesan Charity Service; and young people living in child protection and children living with foster-parents and in group homes are supported by Saint Agatha Child Protection Service. The Family and Youth Pastoral Office serves the religious community through valuable programmess and developmental events. Raising healthy young people is also a mission of the Diocese. The Grosics Football Academy contributes to this in Szeged and Gyula by training some 450 football players.
The Diocese of Szeged-Csanád has significant experience with both national and cross-border projects. In the previous programming period it successfully applied for funds in the context of the Social Renewal Operational Programme (SROP-3.1.17-15 with a budget of HUF 104 million) and at present in the Human Resources Development Operational Programme. So far, 16 applications have been approved (in a total value of almost HUF 1 billion) and most of them are implemented by the Diocese of Szeged-Csanád.
The applications are mainly related to renovation works (improvement of energy efficiency in schools) but young people’s ideas of society building can also be implemented thanks to a number of successful soft projects. The Diocese has also gained experience in the ROHU CB project: the objective of the project called “Reconstruction of the Green Tree Community Educational House” (HURO / 1101/165 / 2.1.3) was the modernisation of the building. The project of “Building the Church of Nagylak” was also financed from the aforesaid call for applications for funding.
This year the Szeged-Csanád Diocese celebrates the 990th anniversary of its existence, which it would like, according to its faith, to make complete in kindness and peace by preserving Christian values, creating new values and acquiring international project experience.
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