Denis Farkasfalvy facts for kids
Denis Farkasfalvy (born June 23, 1936 – died May 20, 2020) was a Catholic priest and monk from Hungary. He belonged to the Cistercian Order. He was also a leader (called an abbot), a religious scholar, a writer, and a translator.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Denis Farkasfalvy was born Miklós Farkasfalvy. As a boy, he went to a school run by Cistercian priests in his hometown of Székesfehérvár, Hungary. When the communist government closed the school, he moved to another famous school run by Benedictine monks in Pannonhalma.
After finishing school in 1954, he secretly became a Cistercian monk in 1955. At that time, the government had officially shut down monasteries. His new name as a monk was Denis. After the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, he was advised to leave Hungary. He traveled through Austria to Rome, Italy. There, he studied at a university and earned his doctorate in 1962. He became a priest in 1961 in Austria.
Leading a School and Abbey in Texas
Many Cistercian monks from Hungary had moved to the United States in 1954. So, Father Denis was sent to Irving, Texas, to teach at the Our Lady of Dallas monastery school. He studied at Texas Christian University to earn a master's degree in math. He also helped as a chaplain for some nuns, who helped him learn English.
In 1969, he became the Headmaster of Cistercian Prep, a school that was becoming very well-known. He led the school for 12 years. He also taught classes at the University of Dallas.
From 1988 to 2012, he served as the abbot, or head, of the monastery. Under his leadership, the abbey built a large new church in the traditional Cistercian style. This project also involved renovating the entire abbey.
Father Denis passed away at age 83. He had been unwell for several years.
A Scholar and Translator
Denis Farkasfalvy wrote many books and articles about theology, which is the study of religious faith. He wrote in English, Hungarian, and French. He also translated old Latin texts and poems by the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke into Hungarian.
From 2002 to 2014, he was a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. This was a special honor, and he was the first Hungarian person to hold this position. In 2010, he received the St. Stephen prize for his work in theology. In 2016, he was given the Catholic Foundation Award in Dallas.
Publications
Denis Farkasfalvy wrote many books and articles during his life. Here are a few examples of his original works and translations:
Original Works
- L'inspiration de l'Écriture Sainte dans la théologie de Saint Bernard. (His university dissertation)
- An Introduction to Theology.
- Theology of Spirituality.
- The Formation of the New Testament Canon. An ecumenical approach. (Co-written with William R. Farmer)
- Inspiration and Interpretation. A Theological Introduction to Sacred Scripture.
- The Marian Mystery. The Outline of a Mariology.
- A Theology of the Christian Bible. Revelation, Inspiration, Canon.
- In search of a lasting home. The story of the Cistercians in Texas. Abbey and school.
Translations into Hungarian
Bible Translations
- Psalms
- Epistle to the Romans
- Hymns from the Roman Breviary
- Gospel of John
Translations of Rainer Maria Rilke
- Selected poems
- Sonnets to Orpheus
- Life of the Virgin Mary
