The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (HRCA) delivered the donation they collected nationwide to the Catholic diocese in Sisak, Croatia to restore the damage caused by the natural disaster. HRCA completed their 13,000 EUR donation, collected in one month, with the 50,000 kuna contribution of the Hungarian Reformed community in Croatia.
The amount collected by reformed communities was given to Vlado Kosic, Bishop of the diocese in Sisak by Miklós Soltész, Secretary of State for Churches, Minorities and Civil Affairs, Péter Szenn, Bishop of the Reformed Christian Calvinist Church in Croatia, István Oláh, president of the board of trustees, representing HRCA, and Márton Juhász, managing director of HRCA.
On December 28 and 29 two, 5.2 and 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Middle-Croatia. Seven people were killed, 28 injured, and there are still aftershocks near Petrinja and Sisak. More than 35,000 buildings got damaged in the area, and only estimates of the extent of the damage are available so far. The government of Croatia declared Sisak-Moslavina county, Zagreb and Karlovac county a disaster areas.
After The Earthquake in Croatia
The Reformed Christian Calvinist Church in Croatia opened their out of use parishes for the victim families of the earthquake in Petrinja. The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (HRCA) launched a fundraising campaign to support reconstruction works.
On December 31, 2020 HRCA launched a fundraising campaign after the earthquake struck Croatia. After contacting, Bishop Péter Szenn said they would mostly need financial assistance after the tragic disaster, because the city of Petrinja and the surrounding area, which was the epicenter of the earthquake, is in ruins. HRCA released a one-month campaign nationwide to help the diocese in Sziszek.
Despite the short deadline, the collected amount exceeded the planned amount: individuals, congregations and dioceses offered almost 5 million Hungarian Forint by the end of January to help their southern neighbors. The Hungarian Reformed community in Croatia completed the aid with 50,000 kuna (2,3 million Hungarian Forint). As Bishop Péter Szenn said, in the south Slavic war God gave people, who helped Hungarians in Baranya and Slavonia, now it is our Christian duty to help those in danger.
"As soon as we've been informed about the catastrophe, we immediately felt an urge to help our Brothers and Sisters in Croatia. Petrinija suffered the greatest damage, which is located in Sisak-Moslavina county, so this is why we decided to give financial aid and support the rebuilding processes through the diocese in Sisak. The Bishop in Sisak was touched and accepted the offering, grateful that HRCA rushed to help the Catholic diocese in Croatia,”
- said Márton Juhász, managing director of HRCA.
Miklós Soltész emphasised, that the Hungarian support has many sources. One is the support of charitable organizations, the other is the Hungarian government, and the contribution of the Hungarian community in Croatia. The Hungarian government is restoring a school in Petrinja, and rebuilding a church building in Zazina. The Hungarian charitable organisations supported the victims of the earthquake in Croatia with 100,000 million Hungarian Forint overall.
Vlado Kosic thanked Hungary and the Hungarian government, and Bishop Péter Szenn for the donations, saying that you know who your real friends are once trouble comes. He highlighted, that 15 church buildings need to be torn down, and 16 to be restored. Since December 29, they are not able to hold mass, which affects half of the bishopric.
Translated by Csenge Kiss
Proofread by Claire Weihe