Among those taking part in the event were Fr Karol Maník, Provincial of the Salesians in Slovakia, the Rector of the community in Luník IX, Fr Peter Bešenyei, and another thirty priests mainly from the eastern part of the country, as well as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and the community of the Little Sisters of Jesus who work in the area. The celebration, which lasted two and a half hours, featured the singing of a local choir composed of gypsy children directed by a missionary volunteer.

“You have accepted the invitation to work in this district, and the Lord will bless you,” the Archbishop said in his homily as he addressed the Salesians who have been living among the gypsies for more than twenty years. “Work which we do with God is always a success. I want to encourage you to try to answer the question: How can we help people? We have to learn to raise our heads high, to foster the peoples’ human dignity,  and to tell them that God is good and that he loves us.“

At the end of the ceremony the Provincial Fr Maník  expressing his gratitude to the Mayor of Košice, Mr František Knapík, and to other local government representatives for their having made such a considerable contribution to the funding of the project  said: “More than two years ago when we came to live among the gypsies in this district, we had nothing, not even a cent with which to begin building.”

The church completes the buildings of the centre which also includes living accommodation for the community and premises for the oratory. The whole project costing about 700,000 euro was also made possible by contributions from abroad, especially the funds collected on the occasion of the 2010Salesian  Missionary Day dedicated to the apostolate of the Salesians among the gypsies.

At Luník IX there is a pastoral team of three Salesians, two FMA and four missionary volunteers who teach religion in the elementary and middle schools with about 1200 gypsy pupils  and carry out typical  oratory activities. The new church will enable the young Christian community to celebrate Mass and the sacraments together, and to meet there for prayers.

Published 10/11/2010