Csíksomlyó, Jakab Antal House – November 22–23, 2025
There are moments in the life of the Rákóczi community when—despite months or even years passing between two meetings—we find our way back to one another as if the last embrace, the last conversation, or the last shared experience had happened only yesterday. The 2025 Rákóczi Family Circle Gathering was exactly such a moment: a quiet, heartfelt, yet joyful return to a community we all belong to.
The Jakab Antal House once again became a home for the Rákóczi community. As participants arrived on Saturday morning, the energy was palpable already at registration—an unmistakable atmosphere that only a community bound together by shared experiences, camps, learning, friendships, and stories spanning decades can create.
After the opening session, the weekend began with lighthearted tuning-in: introductions, group games, laughter—activities that immediately dissolved distance and reopened the space for genuine community. As the day unfolded, the unmistakable spirit of the Rákóczi community revealed itself once more: openness, attentive presence, and a sense of joy that always colors our meetings.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was the life-story conversation with Father Ottó Kalányos. His honest, humor-filled reflections were imbued with faith, dedication, and profound human experience—touching every listener. This was followed by Travel Notes – Excerpts from Sándor Petőfi’s Diary, an evocative performance that brought history to life and spoke directly to the present generation.
The evening’s community programs held special significance through shared film screenings. First, participants watched the official recap film of the Rákóczi Camp— the same film recently shown at the Rákóczi Gala Ball in Toronto, to the supporters of the Rákóczi Foundation. Without their generosity, the Foundation’s programs simply could not exist. It was touching to see how proudly and joyfully the young participants watched what we continue to build together.
Later that evening, the group viewed a short documentary on the long-term impact of the Rákóczi Camp, featuring four former campers who spoke about their life paths since attending the camp, and how the Foundation, the community, and the transformative experiences of the camp shaped their personal journeys. These testimonies deeply moved everyone—reminding us that the true impact of the camp reaches far beyond the days spent together.
After dinner, a lively quiz and an extended community evening followed—filled with conversations about Rákóczi memories, visions for the future, responsibility, and the many ways each of us can contribute to the ongoing growth of our community.
On Sunday, the Holy Mass at the Csíksomlyó Shrine provided a peaceful and uplifting conclusion to the weekend—an experience that felt like both arrival and farewell. The shared prayer, the serenity of the church, and the quiet unity of the community offered a fitting end before everyone’s journey home.
These two days—just as the event invitation promised—were a true gathering: filled with community, value, and meaningful experience. A weekend that nourished the soul, offered renewal, and reminded us that being part of the Rákóczi community is not merely an identity or a memory, but a belonging—to people, to stories, to roots, and to futures.
We look back with gratitude and joy at every smile, every conversation, every new insight, and every rekindled friendship. Our heartfelt thanks go to the excellent organizing team and the dedicated local coordinators in Erdély: Boglárka Sorbán, Ünige Gödri, Antónia Fadgyas-Marhát, Ödön Kovács, and Arnold Csűrös, whose outstanding work made this gathering possible.
The Rákóczi Family Circle Gathering has once again proven that the strength of a community is born where we come together—and where each meeting becomes the beginning of a shared journey once more.
