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

Raffinszky Gergely Romuald OFM

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Left ministry

Birth data:: Kápolna, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — November 14, 1898
Death data:: Hartford, CT, USA — July 7, 1968
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Kapisztránus rendtartomány)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: September 17, 1914
Perpetual vows:: December 18, 1919
Priestly ordination:: July 3, 1921
Place of burial:: Rose Hill Memorial Park
Rocky Hill, CT, USA
Other name used:: Raddinszky, Ruffy

Biographical data

His parents were Károly Raffinszky and Mária Bencsura; he had six siblings. He completed his high school studies in Gyöngyös. He entered the Franciscan Order on September 17, 1914. He completed his studies in philosophy in Szeged and Máriaradna, and his theological studies in Gyöngyös. He took his perpetual vows on December 18, 1919. He was ordained a priest on July 3, 1921. In 1932, he left for the United States.
After 1941, he left the order and married Veronika Spisak at an unknown date. Both died of cancer within a few months of each other. During this period, he changed his name to Ruffy. They had four children.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Church / institution	Position
1921	1927	Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		office manager and assistant pastor, as well as president of the Catholic Young Men’s Association
1928	1932	Pécs, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		parish priest and head of the household

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1932		New Brunswick, NJ, USA	Szent László R. K. Egyházközség	administrator
1932	1936	New York, NY, USA	Szent István R. K. Egyházközség	the last Hungarian parish priest
1936	1940 circa	Roebling, NJ, USA	Mária mennybemenetele templom	parish priest, missionary

Literary activity

1924 – 1928 között a szolnoki Katholikus Élet szerkesztője

Life timeline

Birth

November 14, 1898

Kápolna, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Entry into religious life

September 17, 1914

Perpetual vows

December 18, 1919

Priestly ordination

July 3, 1921

Service in the homeland

1921 – 1927

Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

office manager and assistant pastor, as well as president of the Catholic Young Men’s Association

Service in the homeland

1928 – 1932

Pécs, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

parish priest and head of the household

Service abroad

1932

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Szent László R. K. Egyházközség

administrator

Service abroad

1932 – 1936

New York, NY, USA

Szent István R. K. Egyházközség

the last Hungarian parish priest

Service abroad

1936 – 1940

Roebling, NJ, USA

Mária mennybemenetele templom

parish priest, missionary

Death

July 7, 1968

Hartford, CT, USA

Sources

http://archivum.ferencesek.hu/letoltes/schem/Cap.1940.Schem.pdf✓
http://www.vfmk.hu/de/node/15194✓
https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/New%20Jersey/Romuald-Raffinszky_4mwbnr; Ferences közlöny, Budapest, XIX. évfolyam, 1939. október hó;✕
Shvoy: 52.;
Káldor-II.: 108.;
Kecskeméti Katolikusok Lapja, 1934-11-18.;
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-1/myheritage-csaladfak?itemId=OYYV7YOMTCREBWKYYACASTTXJ4CIQ6I-1-500002&action=showRecord✓

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

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Citation for this entry

Raffinszky Gergely Romuald 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=908 (accessed: 2026-07-10).

Last modified: July 9, 2026 14:21 | Opened: 22 times