LUPRICHOVÁ, Zuzana. Memories to Father Jozef Oprala

Jozef Oprala, the Catholic priest and Jesuit, used to coordinate the preparation, printing and distribution of both periodical and non-periodical samizdats in the region of Upper Nitra. Since 1978 he worked as a parish administrator in Veľké Bielice. Together with his close associates he published different brochures, catechetic guidebooks, but also more extensive publications used at meetings of family associations, youth, or as aids when studying theology and philosophy. As for periodical samizdat is concerned, he contributed to several volumes of journals Náboženstvo a súčasnosť, Bratislavské listy, Rodinné spoločenstvo, Serafínsky svet and Una sancta catholica. Samizdats were printed not only at the parsonage in Veľké Bielice, but also in the clandestine printing workshop in Marián Okkel´s house. In 1990, after the Velvet Revolution, he started to work with the Faculty of Pedagogy in Nitra. In 1992 he initiated the establishment of the Department of Ethics and Social Sciences, and he became its first head. His enormous plans were stopped by his early death. He died on 5^th January 1994 at the age of 44. In this contribution, his fellow associates, classmates, colleagues, and friend remember Father Oprala SJ.