our lady of hungary Through the years

As part of the Diocese of Youngstown’s Parish Implementation Plan, Our Lady of Hungary, 545 N. Belle Vista Ave.; Sts. Peter and Paul Croatian Roman Catholic Church, 421 Covington St.; and St. Stephen of Hungary, 854 Wilson Ave., all Youngstown, have merged as Holy Apostles Parish. Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Stephen are worship sites. Our Lady of Hungary, which is closing, will have its final Mass at 12:30 p.m. Sunday with celebrants, Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown and the Rev. Joseph Rudjak, pastor. A dinner, by reservation, will follow.

The beginning: In the late 1800s, immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungarians, settled in the Mahoning Valley. To preserve their language, heritage and traditions, they congregated into Protestant, Roman Catholic and Byzantine Rite churches. Until 1928, Hungarian Roman Catholics belonged to St. Stephen of Hungary on East Side. In 1926, Hungarians living on the West Side formed a committee to explore organizing a church. A building fund was established. In June 1928, the group petitioned Bishop Joseph Schrembs of Cleveland for permission to establish a new Hungarian Catholic parish on the West Side of Youngstown.

A new church: On Dec. 21, 1928, the bishop appointed the Rev. Istvan Nyiri to organize the new parish, which had between 150 to 200 families. Its name, Our Lady of Hungary, has historic significance going back to the 11th century. King St. Stephen, the first king and founder of the Hungarian State, sought the protection of the Blessed Mother for his country. He had lost his only son and heir in a hunting accident and was aware that after his death there would be a power struggle jeopardizing the nation. On his deathbed in 1038, the king offered up his throne, his country and his people to the protection of the Mother of God. Ever since, Hungarians have had a special devotion to, and trust in, Mary.

The early years: Enough funds were collected to build a basement with a temporary roof. The first Mass was celebrated there along with its dedication in December 1929. A rectory also was built. A financial struggle ensued the next 20 years, exacerbated by the Great Depression. The parish continued to use the basement church and was served by six Hungarian pastors.

New era: In 1948, a new era began with the first Hungarian Franciscan, the Rev. Tarcisius Kukla. In 1949, under the pastorate of the Rev. Peter Hegyi, a refugee from Hungary, the upper structure of the church was built. The dedication, which also marked its 20th anniversary, was celebrated April 23, 1950, by The Most Rev. Emmett M. Walsh, Coadjutor Bishop of Youngstown.

Architecture: An open-beam structure highlights the church ceiling. All the windows are stained glass; the statues were handcarved by an Italian master craftsman and decorated with 22 carat gold. The altars were built and carved by a parishioner, Larry Santha, a wood craftsman who trained in Hungary. A statue of Our Lady of Hungary dominates the main altar. On either side of the statue, the altar panels depict the five Hungarian saints of the Royal House of Hungary, from the 11th and 13th centuries. To the right of the Blessed Mother are King St. Stephen, Prince St. Emery, Princess St. Elizabeth; to the left are King St. Ladislaus and Princess St. Margaret; the sixth panel depicts Bishop St. Gellert, Prince Emery’s tutor.

Church activities: The church experienced a growing membership, acquisition of nearby property and establishment of various organizations. Sunday Masses were celebrated in Hungarian and English. In 1956, after the defeat of the Hungarian Revolution, the parish and other Hungarian churches helped resettle Freedom Fighter refugees who arrived in Youngstown. In 1965, the Rev. Nicholas Dengl became the pastor and he implemented decrees of Vatican II. The Rev. Ban Vitez was appointed in 1973. In 1974, the parish was honored by a visit by his Eminence Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty who toured the United States. The parish began a tradition of the Holy Thursday pilgrimages, a bus tour of six local churches to participate in the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The church steeple was added in 1978. Two Hungarian bishops and the new cardinal made pastoral visits in 1983, 1989 and 1990.

End of era: The Hungarian Franciscans, headquartered at Mount Alverna Friary on Belle Vista Avenue, provided seven pastors to the parish. In 1992, the Alverna Friary closed as a Hungarian Franciscans monastery because of a lack of priests. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, many elderly priests had returned to Hungary and the Hungarian pastorate ended with Father Vitez in 1989. The first non-Hungarian pastor, the Rev. John Reiss, was appointed in 1993 and was followed by the current pastor, the Rev. Joseph Rudjak, in 2005. Since 2007, Sister Rose Huber has been pastoral associate.

Traditions: Father Rudjak, who is Polish, encourages parishioners to preserve their traditions and to respect their heritage and culture. Hungarian is incorporated into the English Mass with the Sign of the Cross, the First Reading, some of the petitions, Hungarian hymn and the Our Father, recited in English and sung in Hungarian. On national holidays, Mass concludes with the Hungarian National Anthem.

Source: www.home.catholicweb.com/ ourladyhungary