St Elizabeth of Hungary

Christmas of 2004 at St Elizabeth of Hungary in John Day

The feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary takes me back 15 years ago where I served for 2 and a half years in a small parish in the heart of Eastern Oregon. The town of John Day had one small country church with about 200 parishioners, as well as two mission chapels, which I had to reach every weekend, a drive of 140 miles to say two Masses for 5 to 10 people at the most. On Christmas Day I would probably get as many as 15. But my main base was at St Elizabeth of Hungary parish which was established 80 years ago, in 1938. I enjoyed my stay there as I ministered to the parishioners who kept returning back to the fold, besides making a few conversions over the 30 months I spent there. Just before I left, I had 18 converts, that’s an increase of 10% parishioners! Of course, I have great memories of that little town, my first of three parishes I served in Oregon, as I keep in touch with some of the parishioners, who inform me on a regular basis about the status of the parish. I wish them the best today, the feast of their Patron Saint, and the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the parish. 

The 18 converts joining the church at the Easter Vigil in 2005.

St Elizabeth was born in Bratislava in 1207, and after marrying Ludwig of Thuringia, the son of the king of Hungary, they had three children. Elizabeth was very kind to the poor and her charity knew no bounds. After Ludwig was killed while fighting in the Crusades, she became a Franciscan tertiary and moved to Germany, where she continued her dedication to the poor. She even built a Franciscan hospital at Marburg, Germany and devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the young age of 24 in 1231.  St. Elizabeth is frequently pictured distributing bread to the needy in her community, and thus is the patron saint of bakers, countesses, the homeless, nursing services, widows, and young brides. She was canonized in 1235, just 4 years after her death.