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

Divald István Sch.P, dr

Divald István Sch.P, dr
Left ministry
Birth data:
Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — April 6, 1923
Death data:
Philadelphia, PA, USA — July 21, 1972
Denomination:
Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:
religious
Diocese / Order:
piarista (Ordo Clericorum Regularium Pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum)
Ordination level:
priest
Entry into religious life:
Vác, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — August 27, 1941
Perpetual vows:
September 8, 1946
Priestly ordination:
June 22, 1947
Biographical data
His religious name: Saint Imre. He entered the order in Vác on August 27, 1941. He took his perpetual vows on September 8, 1946. He was ordained a priest on June 22, 1947. He received his doctorate in 1949. He participated in the Bulányi movement and led the Győr region. The AVH recruited him through blackmail, so he submitted reports on several occasions, primarily regarding the Scout movement. He left for the West on the orders of the State Security. He lived in the U.S. from 1957, where he earned a degree in chemistry and a doctorate. Around 1963, his identity as an agent was exposed, making his position in the Piarist Order untenable. Around 1965, he left the order and was placed in lay status. After leaving the priesthood, he became a chemistry teacher at Seton Hall College (East Orange, NY), a Catholic college, and after 1970, he taught at a Catholic school in Philadelphia, though he did not cease his intelligence activities until 1968. He died of a heart attack in Philadelphia; his former fellow monk, Lajos Meskó, was by his side at the time of his death.
Domestic service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1947 1949 Budapest Hungary Notre Dame de Sion nővérek általános iskolája religious educator
1949 1950 Tata Hungary állami gimnázium religious educator
1950 1951 Kóny Hungary Assistant Pastor (serving in the Diocese of Győr)
1952 1956 Budapest Hungary in a civilian capacity, mainly in Budapest
Foreign service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1953 1963 Buffalo, NY, USA Hungary Calasanctius Preparatory School chemistry teacher
1956 1957 Róma Italy on active duty, but at the same time an agent of the Hungarian state security service
1957 1958 Devon, PA USA
1964 1965 Fort Lauderdale, FL USA teacher, then assistant pastor at a local parish
Literary activity
A művészet és élet – Vigilia, 13. szám (1948. augusztus) 471-481.
Panis Evangelicus, Róma, 1956. nov. 26.-1957. márc. 4.: a Pápai Magyar Intézet lapja. - Megj. rendszertelenül, 12-30 old. Szerk. Divald István
Characterization of The Primary Products from Displacement Reactions of 2-(Chloromethyl) Furans, Tetrahedron Letters, 1970.
Chemistry of 2-(Chloromethyl)Furans. Reaction of 2-(Chloromethyl)Furans With Aqueous Potassium Cyanide and Other Nucleophiles, The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1976.
Life timeline
Birth
Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Entry into religious life
Vác, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Perpetual vows
Priestly ordination
Service in the homeland
19471949
Budapest, Hungary
Notre Dame de Sion nővérek általános iskolája
religious educator
Service in the homeland
19491950
Tata, Hungary
állami gimnázium
religious educator
Service in the homeland
19501951
Kóny, Hungary
Assistant Pastor (serving in the Diocese of Győr)
Service in the homeland
19521956
Budapest, Hungary
in a civilian capacity, mainly in Budapest
Service abroad
19531963
Buffalo, NY, USA, Hungary
Calasanctius Preparatory School
chemistry teacher
Service abroad
19561957
Róma, Italy
on active duty, but at the same time an agent of the Hungarian state security service
Service abroad
19571958
Devon, PA, USA
Service abroad
19641965
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
teacher, then assistant pastor at a local parish
Death
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sources
Images
Photo
Click an image to enlarge. Navigation: ← →, close: Esc.
Places related to this person on the map
birth priestly ordination domestic service foreign service death burial
Related persons
Similar and related clergy
Citation for this entry
Divald István Sch.P, 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=203 (accessed: 2026-04-05).