He grew up in New York, NY, then entered the Benedictine Order and, at the recommendation of Father Maurus Németh, OSB, joined the Benedictine Abbey in Woodside. He took his final vows on February 2, 1970. He was ordained a priest on March 21, 1975. He learned Hungarian while with the Benedictines and later visited Hungary on several occasions. He studied Hungarian under Rabbi Tibor Klein for several years. From 1977 to 2018, he celebrated Mass for the Hungarian community in Boston, MA. On March 4, 1986, at the age of 35, he was elected the fourth abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey after the former abbot, Joseph John Gerry, was appointed auxiliary bishop of Manchester. At the time of his election, he was the youngest abbot in the world. He retired from his position as abbot in 2012.
Notes
USA
Domestic service locations
From
To
Place i
Current name, country i
Church / institution
Position
2012
Budapest, Hungary
Bencés tanulmányi ház
studies, assistant pastor – sabbatical year
Foreign service locations
From
To
Place
Current name, country
Church / institution
Position
1975
1977
Woodside, CA, USA
teacher
1977
2018
Mancester, NH, USA
St. Anselm Abbey
teacher, and abbot from 1986 to 2012
2018
currently active
Woodside, CA, USA
teacher and pastor at the Hungarian Catholic Mission
Literary activity
Testvéri kapcsolatok a közösségben, Borostyán-kút 6 (2007/2–3) 2–33. (ford. Juhász-Laczik Albin – Ontko Henrik – Sárai Szabó Kelemen)
Leavy Matthew Máté OSB, apát: 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=641 (accessed: 2026-07-07).
Last modified: June 15, 2026 20:40 |
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