Page 13 - Priorities #35 2006-October

the members of their Hungarian Benedictine Order heldamongthemthemostdoctoraldegreesofallof the Benedictines of that time.
Of the seven monks, Father Egon was the only one who missed further studies in the United States; he was always on the road, charged with searching for their new home and its financial as well as community support. Already a highly-educated man, Father Egon came to the United States with a doctorate in theology from Hungary. In addition, he had edited seven medieval manuscript missals in Hungary.
But, as he often remarks about this change in his life, “God had another plan for me.”
By 1955, the Fathers were ready for a change; Benebictines live in community, and they were ready to reunite to form their own Benedictine home in
the U.S. They were each busy individually and had become U.S. citizens, but each felt lonely and knew they were bound together by their common heritage and goals. They wanted to honor and continue the work of St. Martin’s Archabbey. In that year, Father Egon and Father Christopher began inspecting properties in states including Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Finding no appropriate area in those states, Father Egon then struck out alone on October 18, 1955, his thirty-ninth birthday, to explore the vaststateof California.Hehadthecouragetodoso because the spirit and support of the other six monks were with him.
Father Egon looks the part of the debonair driver in this photo taken from archives of the early years. He actually drove cross-country and up and down California to find the Priory’s home.
Father Egon felt strongly that California could betheperfectfoundationfortheirnewhome. With a growing population of Catholics, the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas needed more priests, more schools and more teachers. For more than a year, Father Egon explored the dioceses of the area. Father Egon likes to call Woodside Priory School
an “American Miracle.” He said that, “nowhere else in the world could this miracle have happened at that time.” The Catholic community in the San Francisco Bay Area “had the heart” to open their homes and minds to plight of the seven Benedictine monks. Members of that society appreciated
the importance of a Benedictine education and welcomed a Benedictine school in their area. These distinguished families gave their time and their financial support. It was these families that helped Father Egon to find the Portola valley location, the eighteen acres of the Gillson ranch.
Woodside Priory School would become the first institution in the still unincorporated area of Portola Valley. Father Egon chose the name “Woodside” for the school because the name gave a location of the school that people around the country would recognize. He then chose “Priory” because the best
Father Emod said that
since Father Leopold had a doctorate in biology, he would know what was poisonous and what was edible. He was appointed the cook.
Gathered to welcome Father Gerard Békés (second from left) superior of all of the Hungarian monks in exile (outside Hungary) are (from left) Fathers Stanley, Achilles, Brunner, Leopold, Christopher, and Father Benignus (Ben). 13