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

Füz János Balázs O.Cist, apát

Füz János Balázs O.Cist, apát
Deceased
Birth data:
Székesfehérvár, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — April 22, 1922
Death data:
Sparta, WI, USA — November 16, 2008
Denomination:
Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:
religious
Diocese / Order:
ciszterciek (Ordo Cisterciensis)
Ordination level:
priest
Entry into religious life:
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — August 29, 1940
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
First (temporary) vows:
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — August 30, 1941
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
Perpetual vows:
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — December 18, 1944
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
Priestly ordination:
May 8, 1945
Place of burial:
Madison, WI, USA
Biographical data
His parents were Second Lieutenant János Füsz and Ilona Süle. He changed his surname to “Fűz” by virtue of Decree No. 98.600/II.41 of the Minister of the Interior. He entered the Cistercian Order on August 29, 1940, in Zirc. He took his first vows on August 30, 1941, and his perpetual vows on December 18, 1944. He was ordained a priest on May 8, 1945, by Bishop József Mindszenty of Veszprém. After his ordination, he studied philosophy in Budapest. He left Hungary on September 25, 1947, with a passport. He was a founding member of the foundation that maintains St. Stephen’s House in Rome. He moved to the United States in 1973. Until 2011, he was laid to rest in the monastery’s cemetery in Sparta; after the monastery was dissolved, his ashes were transferred to the monastery cemetery in Madison, WI. He was a renowned photographer and loved to smoke a pipe.
His motto as abbot: “Omnia possibilia apud Deum.”
Domestic service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1945 1947 Előszállás Hungary assistant pastor
1947 Budapest Hungary Pázmány Péter Tudományegyetem Hittudományi Kar college student
Foreign service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1947 1951 Róma Italy Pontificia Università Gregoriana Studies in Canon Law
1948 1950 Róma Italy the Secretary to the Attorney General
1949 1972 Róma Italy General Assistant; also building manager from 1954 to 1972
1972 1989 Spring Bank, WI USA hyphen, while serving as novice master from around 1972 to 1977
1989 1997 Spring Bank, WI USA abbot
1997 2008 Spring Bank, WI USA retired
Literary activity
Az esztétikai megismerés és a szép problémája. In. Nova Clara Vallis 1 (1942/1. sz.), 13–19.
Oksági szemlélet a modern lélektanban. Bp. 1947. (doktori disszertáció – kéziratban)
A lélekelemzés erkölcsi határai. In. Katolikus Szemle 4. (1952), 17–20.
Life timeline
Birth
Székesfehérvár, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Entry into religious life
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
First (temporary) vows
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
Perpetual vows
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
Priestly ordination
Service in the homeland
19451947
Előszállás, Hungary
assistant pastor
Service abroad
19471951
Róma, Italy
Pontificia Università Gregoriana
Studies in Canon Law
Service in the homeland
Budapest, Hungary
Pázmány Péter Tudományegyetem Hittudományi Kar
college student
Service abroad
19481950
Róma, Italy
the Secretary to the Attorney General
Service abroad
19491972
Róma, Italy
General Assistant; also building manager from 1954 to 1972
Service abroad
19721989
Spring Bank, WI, USA
hyphen, while serving as novice master from around 1972 to 1977
Service abroad
19891997
Spring Bank, WI, USA
abbot
Service abroad
19972008
Spring Bank, WI, USA
retired
Death
Sparta, WI, USA
Sources
Images
Photo
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Citation for this entry
Füz János Balázs O.Cist, apát: 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=297 (accessed: 2026-05-06).