István Soltész (January 12, 1880 – Chicago, Illinois, December 1, 1945) was a Roman Catholic priest and a prominent figure in Hungarian Catholic pastoral ministry and community life in the United States. His place of birth, original diocese, and the exact date of his ordination are not yet known. He was ordained a priest in 1904 or shortly before; by August 1904, he was already serving as an assistant pastor at St. Elizabeth’s Hungarian Parish in Cleveland, Ohio.

In November 1904, he took over the leadership of the St. Imre Hungarian parish, which was being established in western Cleveland, and served as its pastor until September 1911. During his tenure, he organized and registered the Hungarian Catholic families in the area and played a significant role in establishing the parish’s institutions. They purchased properties in the area around Bridge Avenue and West 24th Street, converting one of the buildings into a church; a Hungarian school also operated alongside the church, which was consecrated on January 22, 1905. The Ursuline Sisters provided the instruction, and Soltész himself taught Hungarian language, history, and geography. Within a short time, the school had more than 150 students.

In addition to his pastoral work, he was also involved in organizing the Hungarian Catholic community and the Hungarian-language press. He founded a mutual aid and devotional society, and in 1909 he established the Hungarian Catholic newspaper *Haladás*, published in Cleveland, serving as its editor until 1912.

In November 1911, Bishop John Patrick Farrelly of the Diocese of Cleveland appointed him head of St. Ladislaus Hungarian Parish in Lorain. His installation took place on November 17, 1911. At that time, the parish was struggling with serious internal conflicts, so one of the tasks of his appointment was likely to resolve the community’s situation. He served in Lorain until November 1913.

His next assignment was in Chicago. His exact whereabouts between late 1913 and 1915 are not yet known; however, from 1915 onward, he served as pastor of the Roman Catholic Hungarian parish of Our Lady of Hungary in Chicago. A 1916 commemorative book published by the Chicago diocese already lists him as the parish priest, and the Hungarian press in 1918 also refers to him in this capacity.

During his years in Chicago, in addition to his parish work, he was an active participant in the city’s Hungarian social life. He delivered speeches and sermons at celebrations organized by Hungarian associations, blessed the flags of these associations and the national flag, and collaborated with Hungarian clergy from other denominations. In 1927, he was awarded the Cross of Merit by the Hungarian Red Cross.

He retired in 1929 but remained in Chicago, continuing to live as a retired pastor. His later known address was 9228 Kimbark Avenue, Chicago. He passed away in Chicago on December 1, 1945, at the age of 65.

1909-től a Haladás c. katolikus magyar lap alapítója és szerkesztője volt