Blessed Stephen Sandor

Stephen Sandor

He was born in Hungary, in 1914. He was the oldest of three brothers. His parents were very strong in their faith and taught him to be a religious person. As a youngster he was admired by his friends, and was happy, serious and gentle. He liked hanging around with his friends, and was a leader amongst them. He helped his younger brothers to study and pray, giving them a good example. Each day he served Mass and received Communion. He felt drawn to join the order of Don Bosco and did so. When joined , he took a printers course to help with their regular newspapers and publications. Once he made his vows, he began to teach. He fostered the Young Catholic Workers. Following Don Bosco’s example, he became a model teacher. In 1942 he was called back to the military front for service, and earned a silver medal of military valor. He made prayed in the trenches encouraging his young friends to do so as well. At the end of the Second World War he involved himself in rebuilding society morally and materially, especially in the case of poor young people whom he gathered around him in order to teach them a trade. His students were able to go on and find jobs in the best places of work. A period of persecution of Catholic schools and properties and they had to close. Instead of fleeing, he stayed in the country so he could keep working for Hungarian youth. He managed to find employment in a detergent factory and fearlessly but clandestinely kept up his apostolate of printing religious material, while knowing that it was a strictly forbidden activity. In 1952 Stephen was arrested by the communists while working and was sentenced to death for being Christian. He was killed in hatred of the Catholic faith in 1953 when he was only 39 years old. Pope Francis declared him a martyr and blessed in 2013.Sandor Quote