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

Békés György Menyhért OFM

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Deceased

Birth data:: Érd, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — February 13, 1911
Death data:: Melbourne, Ausztrália — August 31, 1996
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Szent István Kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: August 15, 1929
Perpetual vows:: June 23, 1934
Priestly ordination:: Szombathely, Hungary — June 21, 1936
Place of burial:: Box Hill
Whitehorse City, Ausztrália

Biographical data

He entered the Franciscan Order on August 15, 1929. He took his final vows on June 23, 1934. He was ordained a priest by Bishop József Grősz, Apostolic Administrator of Szombathely, on June 21, 1936. From 1971 to 1978, he served as a pastor in Adelaide, Australia, and then retired.
According to some accounts, he was a man of a very difficult temperament and quick to anger.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Position
1938	1938	Felsősegesd, Kingdom of Hungary	Segesd, Hungary	assistant pastor
1940	1940	Búcsúszentlászló, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary	religious educator
1942	1942	Veszprém, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary	religious educator

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Current name, country	Church / institution	Position
1971	1971	Youngstown, OH, USA		Saint Francis of Assisi Parish
1971	1978	Adelaide, Ausztrália			parish priest, then retired

Life timeline

Birth

February 13, 1911

Érd, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Entry into religious life

August 15, 1929

Perpetual vows

June 23, 1934

Priestly ordination

June 21, 1936

Szombathely, Hungary

Service in the homeland

1938 – 1938

Felsősegesd, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Segesd, Hungary

assistant pastor

Service in the homeland

1940 – 1940

Búcsúszentlászló, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

religious educator

Service in the homeland

1942 – 1942

Veszprém, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

religious educator

Service abroad

1971 – 1971

Youngstown, OH, USA

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish

Service abroad

1971 – 1978

Adelaide, Ausztrália

parish priest, then retired

Death

August 31, 1996

Melbourne, Ausztrália

Sources

MKL: Adelaide
Hídfő, 1976. október 1.
Kép forrása: Magyar Ferences Könyvtár Fotótára. A fénykép mesterséges intelligencia (chatgpt.com) segítségével javítva lett.
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-10738/ausztralia-halalozasi-kozlemenyek-1860-2019?itemId=395694-&action=showRecord&recordTitle=Melchior+Bekes✓
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191387623/melchior-george-bekes✕
http://www.hungariancatholicmission.com/faith/churches/catholic-other/h_australia-cathhungarianwelfareassociation.pdf✓

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● birth ● priestly ordination ● domestic service ● foreign service ● death ● burial

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Citation for this entry

Békés György Menyhért 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=77 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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