Zsuzsanna Soósné Dezső

What experiences have formed you as a woman?

When I was young, I received a book about the vocation of women: How can a woman find her balance in today’s society, experience herself as a beloved child of God and develop both her marital and maternal vocation? This book impressed me very much and shaped my image of myself and my profession. Man and woman were created equal in dignity, but still different in order to complement each other. God’s idea of our vocation is greater than we could ever imagine.

As a woman, the most important mission for me is to give life and serve life, both in a concrete physical and figurative sense. This is very closely related to my personal ideal as well. Through God’s blessing, I was allowed to give life to my children, and now new life is growing in me. Every day I try to serve their life, their physical and spiritual growth. In my family, in my marriage I can experience the growth of a life blessed by God. An important role model for me is the Blessed Mother Mary, who said yes to her own life and that of her child.

Where have you experienced God in your life?

I have experienced the presence and care of God in many moments and events in my life. The most concrete experience of our encounter with God happened through our son Viktor. Viktor is our second child, born with a disability, with limited abilities in all areas of life, unable to move and speak. He died when he was 13 years old. In the beginning, it was very difficult and painful to accept his illness and condition. But today we can say from the bottom of our hearts that he has been the greatest gift that God has given us. With Viktor we were able to live the teaching of the Gospel every day: “For I was hungry and you gave me food” (Mt 25:35). It is natural to feed and change a healthy baby; but when the baby is already ten years old, and we have to do that day after day, we have to find meaning in it.

Sometimes it was easier to discover Christ in him, present among us, and sometimes it was more difficult. It was a heartwarming experience for us when once a priest came to Viktor and knelt down before him. It is also beautiful to see how much he taught us. We often grumble and get angry about every little thing. Viktor was always smiling. He was happy when we woke him up in the morning, he was happy when he went to school, he was always happy. We should also learn this in our relationship with God! After all, many things happened in Viktor’s life that were not pleasant, that were physically very difficult, and yet he could be there in every moment with such gratitude and love! He lacked all the skills that make an average person successful today. He could not move skillfully, he could not speak, he could not give talks, yet he was present as a prophet in his environment and preached the glory of the good God through his existence. Viktor is a good example of how God can show his greatness even through the little ones. And since his death he has been our heavenly intercessor.

What do you see as the challenge for women today?

In my opinion, both women and men are facing great challenges today. We live in a perfectionist world that does not tolerate mistakes or weakness. There is a lack of awareness of grace. We often believe the lie that achievements make us valuable. Therefore, we overtax ourselves. We want to be perfect in our marriage, in our family, at our workplace, in all areas of life. Then there is no time and energy left to discover our true, God-given calling, to develop and use our talents, and to realize God’s dream of us.

What do you want to change in this world through your life?

The life of Christians is the only Bible that modern man still reads, Father Kentenich often said. I want to be an instrument of God and of the Blessed Mother so that I can realize what God wants to accomplish in the world through me.