Prevost´s Archbishop: "I Never Pray That A Protestant Become Catholic"
Today, Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ferenc Palánki, 62, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Kalocsa-Kecskemét, Hungary.
Palánki has led the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza since 2015.
A canon lawyer, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Eger in 2010 and ordained a bishop in 2011.
2015: Pro-Migration against Hungarian Cardinal
During the migration crisis in 2015, Palánki was asked whether he sides with Cardinal Erdő and Bishop Kiss-Rigó (both took anti-migrant lines) or with the Pope's call to take migrants in. He chose Francis: "We say what the pope says: let's take in the refugees, regardless of their religion.”
He invoked the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations... Now we don't have to go, because many people are coming here.”
As Priest, Played Guitar at Eucharists
In a 2020 interview, Palánki argued that contemporary music can belong inside the liturgy, not merely at youth meetings. He said: “I regard music in the liturgy as form. The emphasis is never on the form, but on the content.”
Palánki put pop-style Christian music alongside Gregorian chant as legitimate "sacred" music. He mentioned evangelical Hillsong positively, and argued that high-quality “guitar music” can have a place in liturgy.
This wasn’t theoretical. When he was a parish priest of Püspökszilágy (2000–2005), he played guitar himself at youth Eucharists. He recalled an Easter Mass incorporating guitar songs very positively.
Palánki concedes that heavy metal would be too much for him at the Novus Ordo.
Preaching in Protestant Churches
In a 2021 interview, he said: “I don't pray for a Reformed Christian to become Catholic, but that he live his life as a good Reformed Christian.”
“There is no Catholic heaven and Reformed heaven - there is one, and it is for everyone, forever.”
And, “I was still taught as a primary-school child that if we entered the Lutheran church in the village, we thereby committed a mortal sin. But now we jointly officiate at weddings, preach in one another's churches, meet regularly and speak together.”
In a 2024 interview, Palánki repeated the same formulation: “I never pray that the Reformed become Catholics, but rather that they be good Reformed Christians.”
Palánki said that ecumenism has developed greatly in recent decades. He names the Reformed, Lutherans, Baptists, Orthodox and Methodists and claimed: “We are all believers in Christ.”
In January 2026, Palánki preached in a Baptist prayer house, while a Reformed minister led the common prayers.
That same month Palánki and Reformed Lay-Bishop Fekete jointly preached at the restored Reformed church in Szatmárcseke and blessed the restored church.
The 2026 Debrecen ecumenical week had Catholic, Reformed, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Baptist "clergy" deliberately rotating among one another's churches. Palánki preached at the Baptist service and participated at the Reformed Great Church as well.
Participated in 'Juventutem' Camp
In July 2017, Juventutem held its Hungarian summer camp at Egyek, inside Palánki's diocese, celebrating the traditional Latin Mass.
Bishop Palánki accepted an invitation to participate, delivered a catechesis on vocation, and blessed a stone cross and the newly installed organ.
Francis' "Dynamic Petrine Ministry"
After Francis's 2023 visit to Hungary, Palánki spoke very warmly about him, emphasizing Francis's characteristic themes of "closeness" and "tenderness".
After Francis death, Palánki praised Francis's “living and exemplary faith” and his “dynamic Petrine ministry.” Francis conveyed “a new consciousness and practice of mercy.”
And, “He proved to be a bridge-builder in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and in the dialogue sought and conducted with all people of good will.”
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