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

Király Ferenc Kelemen OFM

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Deceased

Birth data:: Szentfülöp, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Bački Gračac (Бачки Грачац), Serbia — April 24, 1893
Death data:: Detroit, MI, USA — March 7, 1978
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Kapisztrán kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: September 5, 1908
Perpetual vows:: May 21, 1914
Priestly ordination:: Eger, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — February 1, 1916
Place of burial:: Roebling, NJ, USA
Other name used:: König

Biographical data

He was the son of German parents. His brother, Király Anaklét Vendel, was also a Franciscan. They changed their surname to Király in 1945. He completed his secondary education in Dunaföldvár and then in Baja. He entered the Franciscan Order on September 5, 1908. He completed his theological studies in Gyöngyös between 1912 and 1916. He took his solemn vows on May 21, 1914. He was ordained a priest in Eger on February 1, 1916. From 1934 to 1937, he served as chaplain at the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin and as a Hungarian pastor. In 1947, his order sent him to the United States, where he arrived on May 30.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Church / institution	Position
1916	1925	Pécs, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Hungary		pastor, then, from 1918, parish priest, religion teacher, and hospital chaplain
1925	1930	Szécsény, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		junior master, then, from 1926, head of the household
1930		Eger, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		head of household
1931	1934	Újhatvan, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		pastor, librarian, spiritual director of the lay members, and historian of the order
1935	1937	Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		a resident of the monastery, but assigned to serve in Nyíregyháza
1938		Nyíregyháza, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		pastor, religious education teacher
1939	1942	Fülek, Kingdom of Hungary	Fiľakovo, Slovakia		parish priest and catechist
1942	1944	Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary	Margit körút	pastor, editor
1944	1947	Csongrád, Kingdom of Hungary	Hungary		parish priest, vicar general

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1947	1948	Roebling, NJ, USA	Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1949	1950	New Brunswick, NJ, USA	Szent László R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1950	1951	Winnipeg, MB, Canada		pastor
1952	1955	New Brunswick, NJ, USA	Szent László R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1956		Flint, MI, USA		pastor
1957	1977	Dewitt, MI, USA		leads retreats
1977	1978	Detroit, MI, USA	Szent Kereszt R. K. Egyházközség	assistant pastor

Literary activity

Alverna felé. Bevezető a lelki és szerzetesi életbe I-II. (Vác, 1927-28); A keresztény egyházak egysége. Különös tekintettel a németországi protestantizmusra (Gyöngyös, 1942); Hitlerizmus és kereszténység. A németországi evangélikus egyház harca a nemzetiszocializmussal (Bp., 1946); Katolikus protestáns egységtörekvések története Magyarországon (New Brunswick 1966); A világ krisztianizálódása és a keresztények egysége (Klagenfurt, 1966); Naplóm (Cleveland, 1974)

Life timeline

Birth

April 24, 1893

Szentfülöp, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Bački Gračac (Бачки Грачац), Serbia

Entry into religious life

September 5, 1908

Perpetual vows

May 21, 1914

Priestly ordination

February 1, 1916

Eger, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Service in the homeland

1916 – 1925

Pécs, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

pastor, then, from 1918, parish priest, religion teacher, and hospital chaplain

Service in the homeland

1925 – 1930

Szécsény, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

junior master, then, from 1926, head of the household

Service in the homeland

1930

Eger, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

head of household

Service in the homeland

1931 – 1934

Újhatvan, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

pastor, librarian, spiritual director of the lay members, and historian of the order

Service in the homeland

1935 – 1937

Szolnok, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

a resident of the monastery, but assigned to serve in Nyíregyháza

Service in the homeland

1938

Nyíregyháza, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

pastor, religious education teacher

Service in the homeland

1939 – 1942

Fülek, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Fiľakovo, Slovakia

parish priest and catechist

Service in the homeland

1942 – 1944

Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

Margit körút

pastor, editor

Service in the homeland

1944 – 1947

Csongrád, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

parish priest, vicar general

Service abroad

1947 – 1948

Roebling, NJ, USA

Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Service abroad

1949 – 1950

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Szent László R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Service abroad

1950 – 1951

Winnipeg, MB, Canada

pastor

Service abroad

1952 – 1955

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Szent László R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Service abroad

1956

Flint, MI, USA

pastor

Service abroad

1957 – 1977

Dewitt, MI, USA

leads retreats

Service abroad

1977 – 1978

Detroit, MI, USA

Szent Kereszt R. K. Egyházközség

assistant pastor

Death

March 7, 1978

Detroit, MI, USA

Sources

https://www.arcanum.hu/hu/online-kiadvanyok/Lexikonok-magyar-eletrajzi-lexikon-7428D/k-760F2/kiraly-kelemen-1945-ig-konig-763DF/?list=eyJxdWVyeSI6ICJrYXRvbGlrdXMgbWFneWFyb2sgdXNhIn0✕
https://www.magyarkurir.hu/hirek/kiraly-kelemen-ofm-naplom-1944-1947✓
https://mandadb.hu/dokumentum/424000/Kirly_Kelemen__Naplm.pdf✓
Török: 383, 408.;
Szolgálat: 39. (1978//3), pp. 96-97.;
MKL: Király;
ABTL: HU - ÁBTL - I. - 2.2.1. - IV/1 Külföldön élő személyek kartonjai, 1432-1433.

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Citation for this entry

Király Ferenc Kelemen OFM: 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=532 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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