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

Csaba László Albert Szilván OFM, Dr.

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Deceased

Birth data:: Békásmegyer, Hungary — December 14, 1922
Death data:: Youngstown, OH, USA — July 11, 1987
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Szent István Kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: 1942
Priestly ordination:: June 20, 1948
Place of burial:: Youngstown, OH, USA
Other name used:: Sylvan

Biographical data

His father was Ákos Csaba, his mother was Emilia Ilona Dzaja; he had two brothers, one of whom, Ákos Bertalan Csaba, became a priest. Sources also list the surnames Csaba and László. He entered the order in 1942. He completed his studies in Budapest and Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 20, 1948. He earned a doctorate in theology in Budapest. In the 1950s, he worked as a manual laborer (a miller), then emigrated to the United States; later, he served as a missionary in Libya and the Holy Land, and then returned to the United States for health reasons (he suffered a stroke).

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place	Country	Church / institution	Position
1948	1950	Esztergom	Hungary		educator, director of the Third Order
1948	1950	Pápa	Hungary		educator, director of the Third Order

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Country	Church / institution	Position
1973	1976	Youngstown, OH	USA	Saint Francis of Assisi Parish	abbot
1974	1984		Izrael		missionary, expert in Eastern languages, abbot of the Emmaus Monastery
1976	1979	Windber, PA	USA		parish priest
1979	1984	Tripoli	Líbia		missionary, expert in Eastern languages, abbot of the Emmaus Monastery
1984	1986	Fairfield, CT	USA		assistant pastor
1986	1987	Youngstown, OH	USA		assistant pastor, then on sick leave at St. Elizabeth Hospital

Life timeline

Birth

December 14, 1922

Békásmegyer, Hungary

Entry into religious life

1942

Priestly ordination

June 20, 1948

Service in the homeland

1948 – 1950

Esztergom, Hungary

educator, director of the Third Order

Service in the homeland

1948 – 1950

Pápa, Hungary

educator, director of the Third Order

Service abroad

1973 – 1976

Youngstown, OH, USA

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish

abbot

Service abroad

1974 – 1984

Izrael

missionary, expert in Eastern languages, abbot of the Emmaus Monastery

Service abroad

1976 – 1979

Windber, PA, USA

parish priest

Service abroad

1979 – 1984

Tripoli, Líbia

missionary, expert in Eastern languages, abbot of the Emmaus Monastery

Service abroad

1984 – 1986

Fairfield, CT, USA

assistant pastor

Service abroad

1986 – 1987

Youngstown, OH, USA

assistant pastor, then on sick leave at St. Elizabeth Hospital

Death

July 11, 1987

Youngstown, OH, USA

Sources

Török: 310.
KMV, 1977-09-25., pp. 1.
KMV, 1987-08-02., pp.4.
https://archivum.ferencesek.hu/letoltes/partecedula/Csaba_Laszlo_Szilvan.jpg✓
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-1/myheritage-csaladfak?itemId=737169561-1-500056&action=showRecord&recordTitle=LASZLO+ALBERT%2FFATHER+SYLVAN+LASZLO+CSABA✓

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Citation for this entry

Csaba László Albert Szilván OFM, Dr.: 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=137 (accessed: 2026-04-05).