His parents were József Kocsis and Erzsébet Bajzát. He completed his secondary education in Sátoraljaújhely and his theological studies in Esztergom, where he was ordained a priest on July 29, 1929, to serve the part of the Diocese of Košice that remained in Hungary. He was granted the title of papal prelate. In 1956, he left for abroad and served as a pastor in Austria for a short time. According to the registry of persons living abroad, he belonged to the Diocese of Szatmár. He arrived in Canada in 1957, where he obtained citizenship shortly thereafter. Between 1967 and 1969, he lived in a Benedictine monastery in the U.S., where his knowledge of Latin was highly valued, but because he was concerned about losing his Canadian citizenship, he returned to the country.
In 1987, he was hospitalized, and then the Jesuit fathers took him in at the Hungarian parish. But he needed careful nursing care, so he was moved to St. Elizabeth’s Villa in Hamilton. Although he could no longer celebrate Mass, he faithfully attended Holy Mass every morning. In 1989, celebrating his diamond jubilee, he still walked to the altar himself, though he needed assistance. He celebrated joyfully, surrounded by Hungarian parishioners, and the church resounded with Hungarian hymns.
He passed away after a long illness; his ashes were transported home and interred in the crypt of the Cathedral of Eger.