Kisigmánd-Szentmihálypuszta, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Kisigmánd, Hungary — December 1, 1919
Death data:
Dallas, TX, USA — July 29, 1999
Denomination:
Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:
religious
Diocese / Order:
ciszterciek (Ordo Cisterciensis)
Ordination level:
priest
Entry into religious life:
Zirc, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — August 29, 1939
First (temporary) vows:
August 30, 1940
Perpetual vows:
May 13, 1944
Priestly ordination:
May 18, 1944
Place of burial:
apátság kriptája
Dallas, TX, USA
Biographical data
His parents were István Rábai (Rábel), a mechanical engineer, and Rozália Nagy. He changed his last name to “Rábai” under BM permit No. 32,800 of 1934. He completed his elementary school studies in Vasdinnye. He continued his high school studies at the Benedictine school in Győr. Before entering the order, he studied for one year at the Faculty of Law of Pázmány Péter Royal University. He entered the order on August 29, 1939, and took his first vows on August 30, 1940. He completed his theological studies at the Order’s college in Zirc. He took his perpetual vows on May 13, 1944. József Mindszenty, Bishop of Veszprém, ordained him a priest on May 18, 1944. Between 1944 and 1945, he also studied at the Dominican Order’s college in Sopron. On June 23, 1947, he crossed the border near Sopron and left Hungary. In 1949, he earned a licentiate in theology from the Université de Fribourg. On March 8, 1949, he arrived in the United States by plane.
Domestic service locations
From
To
Place i
Current name, country i
Church / institution
Position
1944
Sopron, Hungary
theology student (September through December)
1944
1945
Sopron, Hungary
Clerk of Apáti and celebrant of Mass in Aklipuszta (until February)
1945
Nagyesztergár, Hungary
Assistant Pastor (March–May)
1945
Sopron, Hungary
theology student (between June and July)
1945
1947
Zirc, Hungary
Zirci Ciszterci Apátság
town clerk
Foreign service locations
From
To
Place
Current name, country
Church / institution
Position
1947
1949
Fribough, Svájc
theological studies
1949
1954
Spring Bank, WI, USA
Our Lady of Spring Bank Abbey
theology teacher; also served as prefect of the students from 1953 to 1954
1954
1956
Fort Worth, TX, USA
high school teacher
1956
1999
Dallas, TX, USA
Cistercian Abbey Our Lady of Dallas
university professor; also prior from 1964 to 1969, provincial prior from 1975 to 1976, and prior from 1988 to 1994; a teacher at Ursuline Academy in Dallas from 1962 to 1963, a high school teacher from 1988 to 1992, and retired since 1994
Literary activity
Szent Margit ünnepére. In. Primitiae 1939-1949. 292–297. (kézirat)
Candlelights. Cistercian Abbey Our Lady of Dallas, Irving, Texas, 2017.
Mécsvilág. Bp., 2025.
university professor; also prior from 1964 to 1969, provincial prior from 1975 to 1976, and prior from 1988 to 1994; a teacher at Ursuline Academy in Dallas from 1962 to 1963, a high school teacher from 1988 to 1992, and retired since 1994
Rábai István Kristóf O.Cist: 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=919 (accessed: 2026-09-13).
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