The Positio, the reporter of which is Fr Vincenzo Criscuolo OFM Cap. with the collaboration of the Hungarian Salesian Fr János Szőke, contains a brief biography of the Servant of God and an extensive and persuasive account of his being a martyr, together with the description of his virtuous life, in particular the constant determination of the Servant of God to be faithful to his vocation as a Salesian Brother.
The documented reports by witnesses are especially valuable and significant with regard to both his life and his martyrdom. Now the judgements are awaited of the historical and theological experts and the meeting of Cardinals and Bishops.
Sándor Stefano was born at Szolnok, in Hungary on 26 November 1914 the son of Stefano and Maria Fekete. He got to know Don Bosco through the Salesian Bulletin and felt immediately attracted by the Salesian charism. In 1936 he was accepted in the Clarisseum in Budapest, where he was an aspirant for two years. At the “Don Bosco” Press he took coursed in printing. He began his novitiate, but had to interrupt it when he was called up for military service. In 1939 he completed this and after a year of novitiate made his first profession as a Salesian Brother on 8 September 1940.
Assigned to the Clarisseum, he was engaged in teaching vocational training courses. He was also an assistant in the Oratory, where he worked with enthusiasm and skill. He was in charge of the Young Catholic Workers. At the end of the Second World War he was involved in the material and moral re-construction of society, devoting himself in particular to the poorest youngsters to whom he taught a trade.
When in 1949, the State under Mátyás Rákosi, confiscated church property and began persecutions against Catholic schools, Sándor tried to save whatever could be saved. All of a sudden religious were deprived of everything and dispersed. Stefano had to give up his press – which had become quite well-known – and “disappear”, but rather than seek refuge abroad he stayed in his homeland to continue to work for Hungarian youth. He found employment in a detergent factory in the capital, from where he continued his apostolate fearlessly and in secret well aware that it was severely prohibited.
In July 1952 he was arrested at his place of work and was never seen again by his confreres. An official document records his trial and death sentence to be hanged which took place on 8 June 1953.
Published 03/05/2011
