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

Polgár Lőrinc Kapisztrán OFM

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Deceased

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Birth data:: New Brunswick, NJ, USA — May 6, 1940
Death data:: New Brunswick, NJ, USA — April 26, 2019
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Kapisztrán kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Perpetual vows:: Detroit, MI, USA — August 16, 1963
Priestly ordination:: Centerville, OH, USA — June 2, 1967
Place of burial:: St. Peter Cemetery
New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Biographical data

He is a third-generation Hungarian; his grandparents were among the founders of St. László Church in New Brunswick. His parents were Mihály Polgár Takács and Magdolna Gerencsér. He has three siblings. He took his perpetual vows on August 16, 1963, in Detroit, MI. He completed his theological studies at St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati, OH. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Duns Scotus College in Southfield, MI. He pursued graduate studies at St. Leonard College in Centerville, OH, and at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He was ordained a priest in Centerville, OH, on June 2, 1967. He was the last independent pastor of St. Ladislaus Church in New Brunswick, NJ; after its merger with other parishes, he retired from active ministry and lived in retirement in New York, NY. Before his death, he was cared for in New Brunswick, NJ, where he passed away. He is buried at Peter Cemetery in New Brunswick, NJ.

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Church / institution	Position
1967	1968	Roebling, NJ, USA	Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség	assistant pastor
1969	1978	Dewitt, MI, USA		rookie coach
1979	1995	Roebling, NJ, USA	Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség	parish priest
1995	2013	New Brunswick, NJ, USA	Szent László R. K. Egyházközség	assistant pastor, then parish priest
2013	2019	New York, NJ, USA	Padua Friary	retired
2019		New Brunswick, NJ, USA	JFK Hospital	on sick leave

Life timeline

Birth

May 6, 1940

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Perpetual vows

August 16, 1963

Detroit, MI, USA

Priestly ordination

June 2, 1967

Centerville, OH, USA

Service abroad

1967 – 1968

Roebling, NJ, USA

Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség

assistant pastor

Service abroad

1969 – 1978

Dewitt, MI, USA

rookie coach

Service abroad

1979 – 1995

Roebling, NJ, USA

Nagyboldogasszony R. K. Egyházközség

parish priest

Service abroad

1995 – 2013

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Szent László R. K. Egyházközség

assistant pastor, then parish priest

Service abroad

2013 – 2019

New York, NJ, USA

Padua Friary

retired

Death

April 26, 2019

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

Service abroad

2019

New Brunswick, NJ, USA

JFK Hospital

on sick leave

Sources

KMVÉ: 1970-1989.;
Címtár: 2016.;
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-12101/united-states-obituary-index-from-online-sources?itemId=25929618-&action=showRecord&recordTitle=Capistran+Lawrence+Polgar✓

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Citation for this entry

Polgár Lőrinc Kapisztrán 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=887 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

Last modified: July 7, 2026 13:44 | Opened: 37 times