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Cistercian Fathers
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Unlikely Texans - A host of bold Hungarian Cistercians came to America
after World War II determined to preserve their way of life. Finding a home in the New World wouldn't be easy.
By David E. Stewart. Reprinted from the Continuum.
"Good Lord," shivered Fr. Benedict Monostori as he lifted his clothes onto the bank and climbed naked from a five-foot-deep irrigation canal. Along with 19 Cistercian student monks and another Cistercian priest, he had escaped only minutes before across the 50-yard-wide Hungarian border, replete with guard towers, barbed wire, and minefields.
Now they stood shaking silently as they dried themselves, trying to steel themselves against the cold and the uncertainty that lay ahead. A couple of hours remained before dawn. For a moment, Fr Benedict s gaze was drawn back towards Hungary.
Never again in our lives will we return to our homeland, he thought. Then he turned back towards Austria. There wasn t time for reminiscing.
Peering into the chilly darkness, Fr. Benedict slowly shook his head, I don t even know where we are going.
Only 13 of the 21 would make it to Vienna and eventually to Stams and Rome. Eight were arrested on a bus en route to Vienna, returned to Hungary, and imprisoned (including Fr. Pascal Kis-Horvath).
Nearly eight weeks later, on October 29, 1950, Abbot Wendelin Endrédy, the abbot of Zirc, was arrested and imprisoned. The Soviets were slamming the door on the Cistercian Order in Hungary. No more Cistercians would manage to escape the country again until the Revolution of October 1956.
But prior to his arrest, Abbot Wendelin had helped dozens of Cistercians from the Abbey of Zirc (the mother abbey of all Hungarian Cistercians, pronounced ZEERTS) escape. They would keep the traditions of the Abbey living and breathing in America.
The idea of going to America had been proposed by a 29-year-old priest who was living in Eger, Hungary in the summer of 1945. A brilliant man of many passions, Fr. Louis J. Lekai was repulsed by the idea of a Soviet occupation. While many expected the Soviets to abandon Hungary by 1947, Fr. Louis believed they had more sinister plans.
Article continued
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Edit Fazakas, Tamás Ungár and Éva Polgár
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Young Pianists Perform in Fort Worth
Éva Polgar and Edit-Maria Fazakas were the featured
artists at a piano recital in Fort Worth on June 3 at the home of Mrs. Chuifun Poon. Selections included pieces by Beethoven, Chopin,
Prokofiev, Dohányi, and ended with Éva Polgár's captivating rendition of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6.
The students, sponsored byTamás Ungár, TCU Professor of Music, were chosen from among students around the world to participate in the
Piano Texas International
Academy and Festival (formerly the TCU/Van Cliburn Competition).
Photos of the afternoon event
Mrs. Agnes Csiffary, the president of the Metroplex Magyar Cultural Circle, and its members, helped raise funds for a scholarship which assisted the two students in participating in the Ft. Worth competition. Following the recital,
there was a selection of appetizers and champagne, provided by Mrs. Csiffary and others.
On June 14,15, and 16 Janos Starker conducted
Young Artists Chamber Music Master Classes at TCU. A native of Hungary, he is the recepient of numberous honors, including that of Honorary Citizen, State of Texas.
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Dr. András Simonyi, Hungarian Ambassador to the United States |
Hungarian Ambassador Visits Fort Worth
Fort Worth Sister Cities International and its
supporters sponsored a reception for His Excellency András Simonyi,
Hungarian Ambassador to the United States on Monday, June 27 at
the Fort Worth Club on West 7th Street. During his one day visit,
Ambassador Simonyi, an avid promoter of American Hungarian trade
and commerce met with Paul Harrell and the Fort Worth Star Telegram Editorial Board; Ann Kothman, Director of RadioShack
International; Executives at American Airlines - Don Casey and Bennie Bracken and Mayor Mike Moncrief. The Ambassador
also had a tour of the Kimbell Art Museum with Curator of Non-Western and Asian Art - Jennifer Casler Price.
At the reception in the evening, Budapest Committee Chair Karen
Kroh greeted the Ambassador and guests and presented
the Ambassador with a rondell by local artist David Gappa.
Dr. András Simonyi spoke of the mutual need to
translate the friendship between Fort Worth and Budapest into economic,
cultural and social benefits for the citizens in both cities.
The evening was an opportunity for DFW Hungarians
to meet with the Ambassador. On behalf of the Metroplex Magyar Cultural
Circle, Imre Gazda presented the Ambassador with a gift bag, which
the Ambassador thanked with sincere friendship and posed for an
impromptu photo with Imre
Gazda and Péter Váli.
The highlight of the evening was when the Ambassador played a few
numbers with
City Manager Charles Boswell's band "The Mootown Rockers". The
Ambassador was presented with a Fender
Stratocaster guitar by the band and Mayor Moncrief, which Dr.
Simonyi "broke in" at the spot with an unforgettable performance.
The band, featuring with the Ambassador on a lead guitar, played
the songs "Hoochie-Coochie Man," "Killing Floor," and "Wild Thing,"
the latter sung both in Hungarian and English.
Thank you Mr. Ambassador, thank you Fort Worth Sister Cities International
for an evening to remember.
Read an article about the Ambassador's visit to
Dallas / Fort Worth on the home page of the Embassy of Hungary >>.
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"A movie can create a healing process for a country." -
Luis Mandoki, one of Hollywood's most versatile directors
This
book is a unique collection of Ft. Worth and area photos by noted
Hungarian photographer,
