The Foundation's history

József Mindszenty established the Foundation in 1972 with the aim of publishing his books and using the income to support Hungarian charitable and cultural institutions with a Christian spirituality. The first president was the Cardinal himself, who designated the Foundation registered in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, as his residuary legatee. After Mindszenty's death, Iván Batthyány, son of Blessed László Batthyány, took over the presidency. He was followed by Rudolf Habsburg-Lothringen. As the most important event during his presidency, Cardinal Mindszenty's remains were brought back to Hungary with all due solemnity in 1991. After the fall of communism, the Vaduz-based Foundation had the opportunity to establish a co-foundation in Hungary and carry out its activity through it. This is how the Hungarian Mindszenty Foundation came into existence.

The current activity of the Foundation is based on three objectives:

• Dissemination of Cardinal Mindszenty's holiness, Christian spirit and Hungarian identity;

• Providing funds for the process of canonization of the Prince Primate along with the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference in a so-called joinder of parties, carrying out the supporting tasks of the process, and cultivating devotion to him;

• Publishing the review entitled Vértanúink-Hitvallóink (Our Martyrs and Confessors), promoting the memory of 20th-century Hungarian martyrs and confessors, the devotion to them and their processes of canonization.