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Father Maurusz, 1956er

Father Maurusz escaped Hungary in late November, 1956. After half a year in Austria then in Holland, he emigrated to Canada in May of 1957. He spent 6 years in British Columbia .The first three years in the wilderness of the North West Territory, the rest of it in Vancouver where he helped to build the Hungarian community there, which centered around the newly established Hungarian Catholic church. In 1963 a higher calling led him to join the Benedictine order of monks in Portola Valley, California. Seven Hungarian monks from Pannonhalma, Hungary, who left their homeland after the Second World War founded Woodside Priory in 1956. Father Maurusz joined the Community, and after completing his University and Theological studies he was ordained to the Priesthood and was qualified to teach in their College Preparatory High School. He taught at Woodside Priory for over four decades. The Priory was always a hub of Hungarian religious and cultural activity, and in the past thirty five years has also become home to the Hungarian Catholic Mission. Father Maurusz is the Pastor of the Hungarian Catholic Mission for the last 22 years. The Priory is also a home to the Hungarian Scouts and various cultural events for the San Francisco Bay Area Hungarian community. Father Maurusz is one of the motors of that spiritual and cultural community.

Interview conducted by Réka Pigniczky in Portola Valley, California in May of 2015.