WCC Mourns Passing of Bertalan Tamás

Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches sent a letter of condolence to the Reformed Church in Hungary on the passing away of Rev. Bertalan Tamás, former Ecumenical Officer of RCH. Fr. Ioan remembered and praised, along with many former colleagues and friends of Rev. Tamás in the ecumenical movement worldwide, the crucial role 'Berti' played "in keeping international ecumenical relationships, facilitating the cooperation with ecumenical partners and friends as well as deepening the solidarity across borders." The leadership and fellowship of RCH and the family of Bertalan Tamás gratefully received the comforting message which we publish in honor of his legacy.

On behalf of the World Council of Churches and the ecumenical family throughout the world, we share your grief at the passing away of the Rev. Bertalan Tamás. Our prayers and thoughts are with you, members of his family and friends and the whole family of the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH). In this time of Pentecost we pray with the Apostle Paul that “the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15: 13)

Grateful and joyful for a life in deep faith and full of peace as we can always trust in our God, nevertheless in grief and great sense of loss we take this opportunity to celebrate the life and ministry of our beloved brother in Christ.

The World Council of Churches fellowship is grateful to God for his life of humility and dedication in his ministry of the Church. He was always fully dedicated to the ecumenical movement by being the secretary of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary, by being ecumenical officer of the RCH for over 30 years and by being the first general secretary of the Hungarian Council of Christians and Jews to mention only a few of its duties and commitments.

“Berti”, as we called him in the ecumenical fellowship, played a crucial role in keeping international ecumenical relationships, facilitating the cooperation with ecumenical partners and friends as well as deepening the solidarity across borders. We are thankful that we could be part of his life.

It is my prayer that his entire family and the RCH will find comfort and grace in Christ Jesus and that the Holy Spirit is leading you to joy and hope.

Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca