'These things are terribly difficult to talk about'

Until recently, András Hodász was a Catholic priest. He became known throughout Hungary due to his popular Youtube channel “Papifrankó”, where he discussed issues like celibacy, the purpose of life, faith, prayer and many more in a candid, relatable and sometimes humorous way.

Many in the country have also heard about the story of Attila Pető, a young man who was the first Hungarian to openly and publicly talk about having been abused by a Catholic priest when he was a minor. He sought an apology from the Hungarian Catholic Church in various ways, mostly through sending letters again and again, and once he kicked the door at a church office out of frustration over not being heard.

Then, the Hungarian Catholic Church sued Pető for harassment, and last week, the court ruled in the church’s favor.

This was the news which prompted Hodász to write an article speaking up for Attila Pető, the victim, while also disclosing that he himself had also been sexually abused by a priest in his childhood.

In our video interview he talks about the signs parents should look for to protect their children from a similar experience, as well as how the Hungarian Catholic Church and society as a whole should approach victims like Pető.

Note: The interview includes a reference to “the Kaleta-case”. Gábor Kaleta was Hungary’s ambassador to Peru when he was arrested on charges related to child pornography in the spring of 2019. Read more about his case here.