Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-01-01 / 1. szám
to help refugees escaping Dictator Ceausescu's tyranny. Several thousand dollars sent to Hungary. This year, I became a member of the Hungarians for Freedom in Romania Committee of the Southern California Hungarian Executive Council. This committee consists of 14 elected members chosen from about 70 leaders of various Southern California religious and cultural organizations. The council's primary purpose is to formulate assistance and relief for the depressed Hungarian minority in Romania. More than $17,000.00 was collected within a brief 4- week period. I have a leadership role in this continuing effort. The next benefit is scheduled for February 11, 1990 at St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Los Angeles. My ancestors were Roman Catholics and I am a devout Catholic. My weekly partaking of the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Communion has given me profound strength and perseverance during the trials and tribulations of life. It has been a tremendous blessing to me in my work, in my endeavors to assist the destitute multitudes in Hungary and Transylvania, also in my struggles to help free Hungary from atheistic rule. As a prominent officer in the Hungarian Freedom Fighters World Federation, my lifelong aim has been to help the oppressed and to secure freedom for Hungary and her suffering Catholics. Granting me the honor of becoming a member of the Order of the Knights of Malta would give me the privilege of striving ever more earnestly to help those in such dire circumstances. Eva Szörényi & Janos Lupkovics President of Hungarian Association, Order of Malta a gold cross, and the knights and dames in solemn black robes on which a white cross is embellished prominently above the heart. During the ceremony of investiture, an ornate medal in the form of a white cross was presented to the 24 knights and 11 dames who had just become members of the Order of Malta. The most Rev. John Quinn, Archbishop of San Francisco and Conventual Grand Cross Chaplain of the Order, was the principal celebrant. Assisting him were the Most Rev. Roger Mahoney, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and the Most Rev. Daniel Walsh, Archbishop of Reno, Nevada. Respectfully submitted, Eva Örményi (Eva Szörényi) EVA SZÖRÉNYI BECOMES A DAME IN THE ORDER OF MALTA Perhaps most Americans believe that the day of chivalry, pomp and ceremony belong in the past, but this is not necessarily true. Take, for instance, the Solemn Investiture Ceremony of the Roman Catholic Sovereign Military Hospitaller, Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, more commonly referred to as the Order of Malta. Conducted annually in California by the Western Association (chapter), ■this year's ceremony was performed on June 22 in San Francisco in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption. The investiture of the order's newly installed knights and dames was a colorful and impressive event replete with more than a hundred participants in flowing capes—the priests at the alter in soft white embroidered with Prominent Hungarian business of Menlo Park, Baron Frederick von Schlosser, was the master of ceremonies, garbed in bright scarlet and gold tunic decorated with the cross and medals of his rank as Knight of Obedience, Cross of Grand Officer "pro Merito Melitensi." His wife, Baroness Eva-Helene von Schlosser, was installed as a Dame on this memorable occasion. After the knights and dames were invested into the Western Association, Investiture Chairman Eneas D. Kane proclaimed that a special ceremony would be conducted by Janos Lupkovics, President of the Hungarian Association, who had traveled from Budapest to personally install Eva Szörényi Örményi as a Dame in the Order of Malta. Before the entire American congregation, Mr Lupkovics duly invested and welcomed the renowned Hungarain actress into the Order in their native Hungarian language. Eva Szörényi has become known throughout the United States, in Canadian and European circles, as an executive officer of the local, national and world chapters of the Hungarian Freedom Fighters World Federation who has labored ceaselessly and tirelessly to help the —continued next page 16 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW JANUARY 1991
