Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad

Borsy György Engelbert OFM

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Deceased

Birth data:: Pécs, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — May 17, 1911
According to another source: May 18, 1911
Death data:: Detroit, MI, USA — August 24, 1982
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Kapisztrán kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: August 28, 1927
Perpetual vows:: June 23, 1932
Priestly ordination:: Eger, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — June 17, 1934

Biographical data

He entered the Franciscan Order on August 28, 1927, as a member of the Capistran Province. He took his solemn vows on June 23, 1932. He was ordained a priest in Eger on June 17, 1934. From 1945 onward, he served abroad, initially as a Hungarian pastor in Bari (Italy), and later in Austria, England, and Brazil. According to some sources, he arrived in Brazil on November 13, 1951, although his biographical records indicate he was serving as a pastor in England at that time. He arrived in the United States on March 21, 1955, aboard the ship Argentina; his immigration papers listed him as stateless. He was an excellent organist.
His date of birth is listed as May 18, 1911, on his Brazilian immigration form, and this date also appears in István Zágon’s records.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Church / institution	Position
1934	1942	Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		preacher
1942	1945	Szeged, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary	Helyőrségi Kórház	religious educator, camp chaplain

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1945	1946	St. Marienkirchen, Austria		the chaplain at the U.S. military base
1947	1948	Trani, Italy		Pastor “Delegate of the Holy See for the Care of the Hungarian Faithful in Italy”
1949	1954	Woodford Green, United Kingdom	Az Angliai Római Katolikus Magyarok Szent István Király Egyesülete	pastor
1954	1955	Rio de Janeiro, Brazília		Hungarian pastor
1956		Roebling, NJ, USA	Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1957	1970	New Brunswick, NJ, USA	Szent László R. K. Egyházközség	parish priest, currently assisting in Passaic, NJ
1971	1979	Milwaukee, WI, USA		parish priest
1980		Dewitt, MI, USA		parish priest
1981		Roebling, NJ, USA	Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1982		Detroit, MI, USA	Szent Kereszt R. K. Egyházközség	pastor

Literary activity

Amire Krisztus tanított... Szolnok, 1939.
Ave Maria! leánykongregációk számára Szolnok, 1941
Nándorfehérvár – színmű
Cardenal Mindszenty. Rio de Janeiro, 1954.
1949. VIII.–1954. XII(?): az angliai kat. m-ok értesítője a Boldogasszony Népe kiadója
Szent István Népe - magyar újság, 1948. Olaszország

Life timeline

Birth

May 17, 1911

Pécs, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Entry into religious life

August 28, 1927

Perpetual vows

June 23, 1932

Priestly ordination

June 17, 1934

Eger, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

Service in the homeland

1934 – 1942

Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

preacher

Service in the homeland

1942 – 1945

Szeged, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

Helyőrségi Kórház

religious educator, camp chaplain

Service abroad

1945 – 1946

St. Marienkirchen, Austria

the chaplain at the U.S. military base

Service abroad

1947 – 1948

Trani, Italy

Pastor “Delegate of the Holy See for the Care of the Hungarian Faithful in Italy”

Service abroad

1949 – 1954

Woodford Green, United Kingdom

Az Angliai Római Katolikus Magyarok Szent István Király Egyesülete

pastor

Service abroad

1954 – 1955

Rio de Janeiro, Brazília

Hungarian pastor

Service abroad

1956

Roebling, NJ, USA

Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Service abroad

1957 – 1970

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Szent László R. K. Egyházközség

parish priest, currently assisting in Passaic, NJ

Service abroad

1971 – 1979

Milwaukee, WI, USA

parish priest

Service abroad

1980

Dewitt, MI, USA

parish priest

Service abroad

1981

Roebling, NJ, USA

Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Death

August 24, 1982

Detroit, MI, USA

Service abroad

1982

Detroit, MI, USA

Szent Kereszt R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Sources

MKL: Borsy;
OFM-K-1994: 42.;
Török: 210, 220.;
Szolgálat: 56. (1982/4) 94.;
Jó Pásztor, 1957. február 8.;
ABTL: HU - ÁBTL - I. - 2.2.1. - IV/1 Külföldön élő személyek kartonjai, 370.;
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-30284/brazilia-rio-de-janeiro-bevandorlasi-kartyak-1900-1965?itemId=1065983-&action=showRecord&recordTitle=George+Engelbert+Borsy✓
Borovi József: A magyar katolikus lelkigonozása Nagy-Britanniában, Budapest, 2003., 69-74.

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Citation for this entry

Borsy György Engelbert OFM: personal record. In: Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad. Available at: https://www.diaszporalelkipasztorok.hu/persons_v2/view.php?id=108 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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