66 ÁRPÁD VON KLIMÓ
sprang into a new phase of vitality from the start of the Vatican
Council. Many priests are back on the job as the result of an am-
nesty. Bishops were allowed to go to the Council’s First Session.
Deputy Premier Gyula Kallai is reported to have said that Hungary
will approve the appointment of bishops to vacant sees.”44
This was probably too optimistic, but the Hungarian state me-
dia, too, attempted a more open approach—however cautiously
—to this global assembly of the Catholic Church. On October 12,
1962, a report of Radio Free Europe found that “Radio Budapest
dealt with the opening of the Vatican Council in several broadcasts.
Besides quoting a few sentences from the speech of the Pope, it
broadcast also a special commentary from TASS which mentioned
the person of the Pope without any acerbity. The Homeland Ra-
dio quoted on 11 October an interview with Bishop Hamvas... in
which the Bishop expressed his pleasure at being able to attend
the Ecumenical Council.... All Budapest newspapers reported the
events of the journey of the Hungarian churchmen to Rome.”45
The second Hungarian delegation to Vatican II comprised
sixteen persons. This time, the group included five bishops, five
Church administrators, three theologians, two Catholic lay repre-
sentatives, and one doctor. Half of the delegation reported to the
state security services.46 One agent reported that the Hungarian
bishops had gained the reputation among other attendees of the
Council and within some Vatican circles of being “senile” and very
narrowly focused on Hungarian matters. Some of them could not
speak foreign languages and had difficulty following what was go-
ing on in Rome.47
- “Hungary Talks to Resume Soon,” Catholic Herald, July 12, 1963.
- “Situation Report: Hungary, October 12, 1962,” HU OSA 300–8–47–92–78
(electronic record), Records of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Research Institute,
Publications Department: Situation Reports, Open Society Archives, Central Euro-
pean University, Budapest. - See the list in Fejérdy, Magyarország és a II. Vatikáni Zsinat, 282–83.
- Máté-Tóth, “A II. Vatikani Zsinat és a magyar elhárítás.”