Szent Anna R. K. Egyházközség

The St. Anne Hungarian Roman Catholic Parish in Pittsburgh was one of the most significant centers for Hungarian Catholics in western Pennsylvania throughout the 20th century. The community developed primarily among Hungarian immigrants who settled in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood, many of whom had come to work in the region’s industrial plants and mines. The Hungarian presence in Pittsburgh can be traced back to the mid-19th century: in 1851, Lajos Kossuth visited the city during his tour of the United States. However, organized Hungarian Catholic life did not take shape until the early 20th century. The faithful founded the St. Anne Parish in 1914, but lacking their own church, they initially gathered at St. John’s Greek Catholic Church and in the assembly hall of the Carnegie Library. Construction of the church began in 1919, and the completed church was consecrated in 1925. The parish’s first pastor was Father Dezső Major, who led the community until 1918. He was briefly succeeded by Father Mihály Erdújhelyi, followed by Father Lajos Kovács, and later by Father István Varga, who served at the parish. Father Varga led the parish until 1933. Afterward, Thomas Morgan, an American, briefly served as the church’s administrator, and then Father Miklós Komlóssy took over as parish priest. In 1934, Father Ferenc Dizmachek arrived as an assistant priest to work alongside Komlóssy. When he returned to Hungary in 1939, Father Ignác Koller took his place. However, due to the outbreak of World War II, Father Dizmachek returned to Pittsburgh. After the death of Miklós Komlóssy in 1940, he led the St. Anne Parish first as administrator and then, from 1944, as pastor. He was assisted in his work until 1948 by Father Mihály Kubaczky, a chaplain, and members of the religious community of the Daughters of the Divine Savior also played a significant role in the life of the parish. Several Hungarian monks and priests also contributed to the parish’s pastoral work, including Fr. Emil Jordán, OSB; Fr. Lipót Hoffer, OSB; Fr. Benedek Horváth, OPraem; Fr. Zsigmond Molnár; and Fr. Frank Cronin. Between 1965 and 1973, Robert Harrigan served as an assistant pastor. In 1973, Father Pál Bolváry, OSPPE, arrived in Pittsburgh; he later became the community’s last Hungarian pastor. The Hungarian community in Pittsburgh hosted numerous significant church events. In 1974, Cardinal József Mindszenty visited St. Anne’s Church and celebrated Holy Mass. Later, Bishop István Irányi (1983), Cardinal László Paskai (1989), and Bishop Attila Miklósházy (1990 and 1993) also visited the parish and met with the faithful during confirmation ceremonies. The parish served not only as a religious center but also as a cultural hub. The parish included some two hundred families, and Hungarian youth were involved in Scout Troop No. 18, named after Tamás Esze, and Scout Troop No. 31, named after Dorottya Kanizsai. The Franciscans in Youngstown regularly assisted with pastoral work. The Hungarian community in Daisytown, Pennsylvania, was also affiliated with St. Anne’s Parish. The first Hungarian immigrants arrived in the town in 1909, primarily from Gömör and Ung counties, to take jobs in the coal mines. Initially, their pastoral care was provided by Rev. Kálmán from McKeesport, then by Rev. Zoltán Soltész from Connellsville, and later by Rev. Gyula Stefurosky. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built in 1937 and consecrated in 1938. In 1951, Ferenc Dizmachek also took over the administration of the parish. After Ferenc Dizmachek retired in 1976, Father Pál Bolváry, OSPPE, became the parish priest. His assistant priest until 1978 was Father József Somos, who also became known as an outstanding organist. After his departure, the parish continued to maintain a vibrant community life, but the gradual decline in the number of Hungarian parishioners posed an increasingly serious challenge. Due to the declining membership, the local diocese ultimately decided to merge the St. Anne Parish with the nearby St. Stephen Parish, whose pastor was Cornelius McCaulley. The merger took place in 1993. With this, the Hungarian Catholic community in Pittsburgh ceased to exist as an independent institution. Father Pál Bolváry subsequently returned to Hungary, where he served in his Pauline monastic community until his death in 2001. For nearly eight decades, St. Anne’s Parish played a defining role in the religious, cultural, and community life of Pittsburgh’s Hungarian Catholics. Its dissolution clearly reflects the fate of most Hungarian parishes in the United States at the end of the 20th century, when, as a result of assimilation and population decline, numerous once-thriving Hungarian church centers ceased to exist or were absorbed into other parishes.