Fraternity-Testvériség, 1986 (64. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
1986-07-01 / 3. szám
FRATERNITY Page 9 A STORY OF FAITH AND LOVE My brother Karl W. Kalassay received a letter from Rev. Paul Kovács, Administrator of the Bethlen Home, dated August 10, 1986. The letter informed Karl that the Board of Managers of the Bethlen Home held a meeting on July 11, 1986, at which time they decided that it was time and proper to name the Bethlen Home entrance road after my father the Rev. Dr. Alexander Kalassay — Kalassay Drive. President Bertalan, Chairman of the Board of Managers confirmed the resolution of the Board to the Kalassay family members. Official sanction was received and the Board decided to dedicate “Kalassay Drive” on September 11, 1986. It surely was a labor of love and dedicated on Labor Day, 1986. Consequently Karl called the Kalassay clan and by the grace of God, twenty-three descendants of Rev. Kalassay gathered for the dedication. We (the family) gathered at Ligonier Valley cemetery at about 10:15 a.m. and paid due respect to the memory of three of our loved ones buried there: Rev. Dr. Alexander Kalassay; Mrs. Elizabeth Abahazi Kalassay, and Mrs. Ethel Kalassay Fleischer. Bishop Dezső Abraham conducted the beautiful service. We then went to the Bethlen Chapel (Kis Templom) and there worshipped the Almighty God with regular services of Holy Communion. Thanking God for 65 years of loving service to orphans and the elderly. Following the service, we walked down to the entrance road and there were appropriate remarks from Rev. Imre Bertalan, President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America; Rev. Paul Kovács, Administrator of the Bethlen Home; Dr. Louis A. Kalassay, the eldest living son of Rev. Dr. Alexander Kalassay, and John Toth, Director of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, who sang a hymn from the Sárospatak hymnal which was prepared for the ministry of Rev. Dr. Alexander Kalassay in Sárospatak. Dr. Louis (Laci bácsi) recounted that in June 1921, he walked up this road to Moria Hegye — Mt. Moria as apuka called it — and that his father had left the Hungarian Reformed Church in Pittsburgh to become the superintendent of the Bethlen Home (Orphans Home) which was dedicated on July 4, 1921. Dr. Louis told a short story of a funeral service apuka conducted in Hays, Pennsylvania, when a mine accident killed many of the miners, leaving widows and children. “Ki fogja szeretni ezeket a gyermekeket?” (Who is going to love these children?) God chose apuka, and he accepted the challenge — the loving care and concern for others became the key to taking care of our own. Here on this mountain we must learn from the past and look toward the future with faith and love. In conclusion, he recited two prayers that his father taught him as a child. Many of our readers will surely remember them. (Editor) When entering the church: “Szent házadban kegyes Atyám Kegyelemmel tekints reám Tiszta szívvel imádkozom Midőn fohászt mond gyermeked Találkozni akar veled.” i
