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

Bíró Gergely Lőrinc OFM

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Deceased

Birth data:: Zetelaka, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Zetea, Romania — March 11, 1880
Death data:: Youngstown, OH, USA — June 20, 1946
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Kapisztrán kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: September 8, 1896
Perpetual vows:: September 8, 1900
Priestly ordination:: December 22, 1902
Place of burial:: Kálvária-temető
Youngstown, OH, Hungary

Biographical data

He attended high school in Csíksomlyó. He entered the Franciscan Order on September 8, 1896. He completed his theological studies in Vajdahunyad and Paderborn (Germany). He took his perpetual vows on September 8, 1900, and was ordained a priest on December 22, 1902. In 1922, he emigrated to the United States. He was granted citizenship on February 5, 1930.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Position
1902	1902	Székelyudvarhely, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania	deacon
1902	1907	Medgyes, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Mediaș, Romania	provincial secretary, catechist
1907	1912	Déva, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Deva, Romania	Provincial secretary; also served as school principal in Dés from 1908 to 1914
1913	1915	Szék, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Sic, Romania	building manager (including in Szamosújvár)
1915	1917	Medgyes, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Mediaș, Romania	philosophy teacher and provincial secretary
1917	1924	Fogaras, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Făgăraș, Romania	house manager, defindor, and custodian

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1922	1924	Cleveland, OH, USA	Szent Erzsébet R. K. Egyházközség	assistant pastor
1922	1946	South Bend, IN, USA	Szent István R. K. Egyházközség	missionary pastor (in the U.S., as well as in Baberton, OH, U.S.)
1924	1927	Barberton, OH, USA	Szentháromság R. K. Egyházközség	founding pastor
1927	1930	South Bend, IN, USA	Szent István R. K. Egyházközség	parish priest
1931	1946	Youngstown, OH, USA	Saint Francis of Assisi Parish

Literary activity

Tabula Congregationis Provincialis. 1910, 1912-16.
Oer S.: Gyöngeségeink. Ford. Kolozsvár, 1911.
A dési r.k. elemi... isk értes. Dés, 1912.
A dési szt ferencrendi ktor tört. Kolozsvár, 1912.
Nefelejcs. Imakv. gyermekeknek. Uo., 1913. (7. kiad. 1944)
A bűnbánat útja. Ford. Uo., 1914.
A dési r.k. fiú- és a Miasszonyunkról nev. szegény isk-nővérek vezetése alatt álló leányisk. értes. Dés, 1915.
A Szt Háromságról nev. babertoni r.k. m. hitközs. évkv-e. Cleveland, 1925.
A South Bend-i Szt Istvánról nev. r.k. m. hitközs. évkv-e az Úrnak 1927, 1928, 1929. esztendejéről. South Bend, 1928-30.

Life timeline

Birth

March 11, 1880

Zetelaka, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Zetea, Romania

Entry into religious life

September 8, 1896

Perpetual vows

September 8, 1900

Priestly ordination

December 22, 1902

Service in the homeland

1902 – 1902

Székelyudvarhely, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Odorheiu Secuiesc, Romania

deacon

Service in the homeland

1902 – 1907

Medgyes, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Mediaș, Romania

provincial secretary, catechist

Service in the homeland

1907 – 1912

Déva, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Deva, Romania

Provincial secretary; also served as school principal in Dés from 1908 to 1914

Service in the homeland

1913 – 1915

Szék, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Sic, Romania

building manager (including in Szamosújvár)

Service in the homeland

1915 – 1917

Medgyes, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Mediaș, Romania

philosophy teacher and provincial secretary

Service in the homeland

1917 – 1924

Fogaras, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Făgăraș, Romania

house manager, defindor, and custodian

Service abroad

1922 – 1946

South Bend, IN, USA

Szent István R. K. Egyházközség

missionary pastor (in the U.S., as well as in Baberton, OH, U.S.)

Service abroad

1922 – 1924

Cleveland, OH, USA

Szent Erzsébet R. K. Egyházközség

assistant pastor

Service abroad

1924 – 1927

Barberton, OH, USA

Szentháromság R. K. Egyházközség

founding pastor

Service abroad

1927 – 1930

South Bend, IN, USA

Szent István R. K. Egyházközség

parish priest

Service abroad

1931 – 1946

Youngstown, OH, USA

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish

Death

June 20, 1946

Youngstown, OH, USA

Sources

MKL: Bíró
MKL: Youngstowni Szent István egyházközség
MKL: South Bend
Máté: 204.
Török: 68, 282, 400.
Shvoy: 147.
Kusztódia
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-10693/us-naturalization-record-index-northern-illinois-1840-1950?itemId=120562-&action=showRecord&recordTitle=Lawrence+Gregory+Biro#fullscreen A fénykép mesterséges intelligencia (chatgpt.com) segítségével javítva lett. Az Erdélyi Ferences Gyűjtőlevéltár információi alapján✓

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Citation for this entry

Bíró Gergely Lőrinc 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=82 (accessed: 2026-09-13).

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