More Data to the Relation of József Mindszenty and Bertalan Badalik OP

Abstract

My study is dealing with the relation of József Mindszenty the archbishop of Esztergom since 1945 and the Dominican prior provincial Bertalan Badalik, who was the house superior in Budapest since 1946.From 1945 Bertalan Badalik and József Mindszenty tried to cooperate in several matters of the catholic church and the Hungarian public and political life to confirm the positions of the catholic church and to help the formation of a catholic party. Mindszenty asked Badalik, to be one of his counsellors in political matters. In public life, in politics but especially in the process of the formation of the catholic party Badalik became Mindszenty’s aid. He consulted the politicians about the possible ways of organizing a catholic party and about how the church could support it. Since the settlement and the possibility of a joint party failed, Mindszenty and Badalik lost connections in political matters. Despite they had different views regarding political questions, Badalik’s loyalty to Mindszenty in church matters and the activities of religious life did not change. In my study I am observing the major points of their relation. The image that can be drawn from the sources is very fragmentary. In spite of this I try to give some information about the relation of the cardinal and archbishop of Esztergom and the prior provincial of the Dominican Order.