BY BRIAN J. LOWNEY, Acting Editor
WARWICK — When Gergo Pinter arrived last year at Bishop Hendricken High School, the foreign exchange student from Hungary never expected that his life would change in so many ways.
Pinter, who participated in an international student program, is a native of Szged, a city located near the Serbian border. A program official in Hungary matched him with Bishop Hendricken High School.
Upon arriving in Rhode Island, Pinter has lived with two host families; Tom and Nancy Sullivan, parishioners of Sts. John and Paul Church, Coventry, and Richard and Darlene Lavoie, who worship at St. Vincent de Paul Church, also in Coventry.
Not only has the 19-year-old high school senior grown academically and socially, but his spiritual life has developed as well.
Pinter received the sacrament of confirmation during the school’s community Mass on Ascension Thursday, and received the sacrament of first holy Communion on April 2.
“It is a wonderful feeling,” said Pinter. “I feel very comfortable here. Everyone has tried to help me and it’s been a nice experience.”
Pinter, who was baptized in his native land and who attended public schools, said when he began studying religion last fall at Bishop Hendricken he realized the importance of the sacraments and approached school Chaplain Father David Gaffney.
Thomas Gambardella, the Director of Campus Ministry at Bishop Hendricken, Father Gaffney and classmate Gerald Kaplan prepared Pinter for first holy communion and confirmation.
“I thought it would be a nice witness for the school community and it was,” Father Gaffney noted of the decision to confirm Pinter at the community Mass with the permission of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin.
Once confirmed, Pinter received a round of applause from his fellow students and the school’s faculty and staff.
The student chose John as his confirmation name, and selected faculty member Michael Quiqley as his sponsor.
“He helped me to understand English and the American history class,” Pinter said, adding that he was grateful for the veteran teacher’s unfailing encouragement and support.
Hendricken student Ian Garrahy, a parishioner of St. Gregory the Great Church, Warwick, said that the confirmation ceremony was one example of how Bishop Hendricken has transformed Pinter’s life.
“It was moving to see the impact that Hendricken has had over the year,” he observed.
“I thought it was a great opportunity not only for Gergo, but for the whole Bishop Hendricken community,” said Alex Sullivan, a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church, Cranston. “It’s not every day that someone is confirmed during one of our Masses. It is an opportunity for everyone who has, and who will be confirmed, to learn what confirmation is all about.”
Nicholas Tasca, who worships at Holy Apostles Church, Cranston, agreed.
“It was great to witness his commitment to the church,” he said, noting that while he has played tennis with Pinter, the confirmation ceremony allowed Hendricken students to see their Hungarian friend in a different light and observe his spiritual dimension.
Pinter will return to Hungary following Bishop Hendricken’s graduation on June 5 and hopes to return to the United States to attend college.
