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

Máté József SJ

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Deceased

Birth data:: Sopron, Hungary — January 8, 1922
Death data:: Dundas, ON, Canada — June 29, 2011
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: jezsuita (Societas Jesu)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: August 14, 1941
Priestly ordination:: Shrub Oak, NY, USA — June 22, 1957
Place of burial:: jezsuita temető
Courtland, ON, Canada
Other name used:: Drab

Biographical data

He graduated from the Benedictine high school in Sopron. On August 14, 1941, he entered the Society of Jesus. He completed his novitiate in Manréza. In 1944, he began his studies in philosophy in Košice, but was forced to flee because of the war. He then went to Sopron, where he was nearly deported by the Russians. After 1945, he continued his studies in Szeged; his superiors then sent him to Szatmárnémeti to serve as prefect, but on the way he was arrested by Romanian authorities and handed over to the Hungarian state security services. In 1948, he attempted to flee abroad but was arrested and imprisoned in Kistarcsa until 1953, after which he was placed under police surveillance. He worked as a kitchen assistant at Rókus Hospital, but after suffering an accident there, he was transferred to the warehouse. In 1956, he fled abroad and emigrated to the United States. He completed his studies at Woodstock College. He was ordained a priest in Shrub Oak, NY, on June 22, 1957. In 1978, he received the Queen’s Commemorative Medal. He retired in 2007 and suffered a stroke in 2011.

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1956	1958	New York, NY, USA		pursuing studies
1958		Woodstock, NY, USA		graduate
1959		Cleveland, OH, USA		tercia
1960	1966	Toronto, ON, Canada	Szent Erzsébet R. K. Egyházközség	pastor
1967	1972	Courtland, ON, Canada		parish priest
1972				during a sabbatical year
1973	2007	Toronto, ON, Canada		parish priest, leader of the Catholic Men’s Association, co-chair of the Federation of Hungarians in Canada
2007	2011	Hamilton, ON, Canada		retired
2011		Dundas, ON, Canada		in a nursing home

Literary activity

A Hírnök és az Értesítő c. kiadványok szerkesztője

Life timeline

Birth

January 8, 1922

Sopron, Hungary

Entry into religious life

August 14, 1941

Service abroad

1956 – 1958

New York, NY, USA

pursuing studies

Priestly ordination

June 22, 1957

Shrub Oak, NY, USA

Service abroad

1958

Woodstock, NY, USA

graduate

Service abroad

1959

Cleveland, OH, USA

tercia

Service abroad

1960 – 1966

Toronto, ON, Canada

Szent Erzsébet R. K. Egyházközség

pastor

Service abroad

1967 – 1972

Courtland, ON, Canada

parish priest

Service abroad

1972

during a sabbatical year

Service abroad

1973 – 2007

Toronto, ON, Canada

parish priest, leader of the Catholic Men’s Association, co-chair of the Federation of Hungarians in Canada

Service abroad

2007 – 2011

Hamilton, ON, Canada

retired

Death

June 29, 2011

Dundas, ON, Canada

Service abroad

2011

Dundas, ON, Canada

in a nursing home

Sources

KMVÉ: 1960-1989.;
HSZII: 218-219.;
Török: 340p.;
ABTL: HU - ÁBTL - I. - 2.2.1. - IV/1 Külföldön élő személyek kartonjai, 1849.;
https://jezsuita.hu/elhunyt-p-mate-jozsef-sj-1922-2011/✓

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Citation for this entry

Máté József SJ: 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=716 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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