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

Kékessy Imre István SJ, dr

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Deceased

Birth data:: Melence, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Melenci, Serbia — September 9, 1905
Death data:: Medelin, Kolumbia — June 30, 1986
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: jezsuita (Societas Jesu)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — August 14, 1928
Priestly ordination:: Sanghaj, Kína, currently Shànghǎi (上海) — June 4, 1938

Biographical data

He entered the Society of Jesus as a doctor on August 14, 1928. He completed his novitiate in Manréza. From 1932 to 1933, he studied philosophy in Szeged, after which he went to China as a missionary, where he was ordained a priest on June 4, 1938. He was captured and imprisoned by the Chinese Communists. He received special permission from the Superior General to take his vows “in articulo mortis” (in the shadow of death). He went to America under the protection of the United States and obtained U.S. citizenship. After his expulsion from China, his connection with the Society was severed for a long time. He first went to Nicaragua, then to the U.S., and finally worked in Colombia as a teacher. In Colombia, he was welcomed into the Diocese of Tunja, where he served as confessor to the Poor Clares, and later became chaplain at the Paul VI Retirement Home, run by the Sisters of the Poor. The Provincial of Colombia called him back to the Society. He was readmitted on August 15, 1979, and in 1980, he once again lived and served as chaplain at a Jesuit college in Medellín, Colombia.

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Current name, country	Position
1941	1944	Taming, Kína	Daming xian (大名县)	Residence Hall Director
1945	1970 circa	Nicaragua		pastor
1971	1976 circa	Norwood, OH, USA		Professor at Xavier University
1976	1980	Tunja, Kolumbia		confessor to the Poor Clares, chaplain at a nursing home
1980	1986	Medelin, Kolumbia		chaplain at a Jesuit college

Literary activity

Kína „sárga veszedelme”. Bp., 1936. - Teremrajzi kirándulás a kínai írásjelek birodalmában. Uo., 1937.

Life timeline

Birth

September 9, 1905

Melence, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Melenci, Serbia

Entry into religious life

August 14, 1928

Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

Priestly ordination

June 4, 1938

Sanghaj, Kína, currently Shànghǎi (上海)

Service abroad

1941 – 1944

Taming, Kína, currently Daming xian (大名县)

Residence Hall Director

Service abroad

1945 – 1970

Nicaragua

pastor

Service abroad

1971 – 1976

Norwood, OH, USA

Professor at Xavier University

Service abroad

1976 – 1980

Tunja, Kolumbia

confessor to the Poor Clares, chaplain at a nursing home

Service abroad

1980 – 1986

Medelin, Kolumbia

chaplain at a Jesuit college

Death

June 30, 1986

Medelin, Kolumbia

Sources

https://leveltar.jezsuita.hu/hu/node/1721✓
MKL: Kékessy;
ABTL: HU - ÁBTL - I. - 2.2.1. - IV/1 Külföldön élő személyek kartonjai, 1407-1408.
A fényképet a Jezsuita Levéltár és Rendtörténeti Könyvtár bocsátotta rendelkezésemre.;
KMVÉ: 1971–1976.;

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Citation for this entry

Kékessy Imre István SJ, 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=529 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

Last modified: July 3, 2026 12:48 | Opened: 62 times