Štrnásty katolícky biskup ThDr. h. c. Jozef Feranec (1973 – 1990) absolvoval v našom meste gymnázium, štúdium teológie aj kňazskú vysviacku (1932). Do jeho príchodu za biskupa (1973) bolo biskupstvo 23 rokov osirelé. Diplomaciou a kompromismi sa mu podarilo udržiavať za kostolnými múrmi na vtedajšie pomery čulý náboženský život. Dbal na obsadenie fár. Dosiahol, aby duchovných, ktorým štát zakázal činnosť, dostal naspäť do pastorácie. Z celospoločenského hľadiska mal zásluhu na zriadení Slovenskej cirkevnej provincie, ktorej ustanovením pápež Pavol VI. zosúladil hranice biskupstiev s hranicami Slovenska (1978). Pápež Ján Pavol II. prijal Ferancovu povinnú abdikáciu (1987) z dôvodu vysokého veku, ale so zdôvodnením „nunc pro tunc“ – „teraz pre potom“ a ponechal ho v úrade do pádu Železnej opony. Banskobystričanom ostal verný aj ako emeritný biskup. Mestské zastupiteľstvo mu udelilo prvú cenu (1995).
ThDr. h. c. Jozef Feranec, the 14th bishop of Banská Bystrica (1973–1990), studied at the local grammar school and later studied theology and was ordained (in 1932) in Banská Bystrica. The cathedra had been empty for 23 years prior to his arrival as a bishop (1973). Through diplomacy and compromise he was able to keep a host of religious activities going behind the church walls, despite the difficult circumstances at the time. He made sure that there were priests in all the parishes. He succeeded in bringing priests who were banned from working by the state back into pastorship. At the national level, he was instrumental in the delimitation of the Slovak ecclesiastical province by Pope Paul VI, making the borders of the dioceses consistent with the state borders (1978). Although Pope John Paul II accepted Jozef Feranec’s offer to resign due to advanced age (1987), he maintained him in office on grounds of “nunc pro tunc” (now for then) until the fall of the Iron Curtain. Jozef Feranec remained attached to Banská Bystrica even as bishop emeritus. The Municipal Council bestowed the first Municipal Award on him in 1995.
Autor textu: Ing. Mgr. Pavol Katreniak