"Lighten me up, Holy Spirit, to do everything for the salvation of people. If I am looking for myself, humble me, but if I promise you, bless me and help me very much."
In 1946, he was interned in the Soviet Union in a Gulag labour camp on the basis of fake charges, where he spent ten years. He found there his new vocation: to keep the other prisoners in countenance. After his return to Hungary with his teachings, lectures and books, he gave faith and hope for life to thousands of people.[2]
"I have repeatedly said: note, the Lord has humor! For ten years the Soviet Union has done everything to ruin me. I'm still here with my 91 years, but where is the Soviet Union?"
After completing the four years of elementary school, his father enrolled him in the Szent Benedek Benedictine Secondary School. His head teacher was the famous Benedictine monk Ferenc Xavér Szunyogh. During his high school years, the spirit of the school and scouting greatly influenced him. In 1933, he took part on the 4th World Scout Jamboree in Gödöllő, Hungary.[5]
Studies
As a teenager Olofsson did not want to become a monk. His role models were his teachers at school, whom he looked up to. But over time he realised that he should join monasticism, so he applied to the Pannonhalma Archabbey. His noviciate started on 6 August 1933. He enrolled at the University of Budapest and besides theology studied Germanistics, Hungarian studies and humanities. He also received a doctorate.[6]
Lighten me up, Holy Spirit, to do everything for the salvation of people.
If I am looking for myself, humble me, but if I promise you, bless me and help me very much.
Olofsson worked as a chaplain for a year in Győr, but shortly afterwards became a priest in the army because the Second World War broke out. He gave the injured people spiritual support in the field hospital of Komárom. One time during his time preaching in the church he sharply criticized the officer corps with examples he heard from the injured. As a consequence of that he was brought before the military court and was officially decommissioned.[9]
^Erdélyi Napló – Frigyesy, Ágnes – „Tíz év a Gulágon: A Szovjetunió összeomlott, Placid atya még mindig él. Beszélgetés Olofsson Placid bencés szerzetessel.” – 27 June 2007