József Grősz

József Grősz (born December 9, 1887 in Halbturn , † October 3, 1961 in Kalocsa ) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kalocsa in Hungary.

Life

Josef Grösz was born as the son of the farmer couple Franz and Magdalena (née Gisch) Grösz. On the house where he was born in Halbturn , Erzherzog-Friedrich-Straße 27, a plaque commemorates the great son of the community. The young Josef attended the first four primary school classes from 1894 to 1898 in his home parish. He passed all eight classes of the Benedictine grammar school and the final high school diploma in Győr with distinction. Sent by his bishop to the Pazmaneum for further studies and to the theological faculty of the University of Vienna , he graduated with great success. On July 14, 1911, he was ordained a priest by Bishop August Fischer from Kassa ( Kaschau ) in the chapel of the Pazmaneum. The first Mass he had on 23 July 1911 in his home town. At the same time, his parents celebrated the silver wedding and the grandparents the gold wedding with him.

After two years of chaplaincy from 1911 to 1913 in Farád and Oroszvár , he was called to the Episcopal Ordinariate in Győr and became a librarian, then ceremonial, secretary and finally the office director. Later in 1931 he was appointed a member of the Győr Cathedral Chapter. When the sick diocesan bishop needed a helper, Pope Pius XI. on December 17, 1928 Josef Grösz was appointed titular bishop of Ortossia and coadjutor of the diocesan bishop Fetser .

He was ordained bishop on February 24, 1929 by the cardinal and prince-primate Dr. Justinian Séredi in Győr. A large number of believers from his home parish of Halbturn were able to take part in this celebration and present him with a bishop's staff.

When Bishop Fetser died in 1933, Grösz led the diocese for a while as chapter vicar and was then appointed alongside the newly appointed diocesan bishop Dr. Stefan Breyer Vicar General . In all these offices in the diocese, Grösz was exemplary and was also active in pastoral care. On January 10, 1936 he was by Pope Pius XI. entrusted as Apostolic Administrator with the management of the Diocese of Szombathely ( Steinamanger ), also with the task of arranging the financial situation here. After he succeeded in this in a short time, he was appointed diocesan bishop by the Pope. On May 7, 1943 he was by Pope Pius XII. called as archbishop to Kalocsa.

In this capacity he had to lead the Hungarian Church again as chairman of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference . First from April until Cardinal József Mindszenty was appointed in September 1945 and then after his conviction on February 3, 1949. During this time the struggle between Church and State was extremely difficult. Archbishop Grösz was arrested on May 15, 1949 and sentenced to 15 years in prison on June 28, 1951 in a show trial. Of these he had to spend 4½ years in prison. His detention was suspended on October 14, 1955. On May 19, 1956, he was finally allowed to return to the archbishop's chair to the great cheers of his supporters. Again he became chairman of the Bishops' Conference and headed the Archdiocese of Kalocsa and the Church of Hungary.

Archbishop Grösz died of a heart attack on October 3, 1961 after completing his Holy Mass and was buried on October 6 with great sympathy in the crypt of the cathedral church.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Burgenland freedom, April 27, 1972; P. 18: [1]
2. ↑ http://www.apostolische-nachnahme.de/ernnung_1943.htm

predecessor	Office	successor
Julius Glattfelder	Archbishop of Kalocsa 1943 - 1961	Endre Hamvas