Sister Judith Fenyvesi, MSW '68

An Unlikely Leader 

Arriving in Buffalo in 1964 with only the limited English she had acquired during 10 years in a Romanian prison, Sister Judith Fenyvesi joined the Sisters of Social Service, the same religious order that had rescued and protected her in her homeland. Remaining true to her calling in social services, she received an M.S.W. from the UB School of Social Work in 1968 after completing her undergraduate work at D’Youville College. By 1975, she had created a social work program at Daemen College, overseeing its accreditation and eventually serving as its director. Sister Judith describes her inspiring life story in memoirs entitled A Journey of Light into Darkness (Monzella Trade Communication, 2002). In the account, she relates her long journey from the horror of losing her entire family to the Holocaust, then suffering 10 years of imprisonment in Romania at the hands of the Communist regime. Eventually, she abandoned her homeland and all that she had known, as she worked to fulfill a life-long dream of “alleviating human suffering and giving hope to those in the darkness.”

After immigrating to the U.S., Sister Judith continued her work with the Sisters of Social Service, making several return trips to Hungary and Romania, in the process bringing hope and information about the sisters in America to her European counterparts, who were compelled to practice their religion underground for fear of imprisonment by the Communist governments then in power. In America, she continually attempted to answer the question, “How can we live out our lives more consciously and deeply, responding to the realities in which we live?” As her responsibilities grew, she was elected to ever more important positions, culminating in her election to the position of general moderator of her order.

Intensive travel, severe medical challenges and an irrepressible desire to shape public policy in the service of humanity define the soft-spoken Sister Judith. Her small physical stature and calm demeanor offer a striking contrast to the normal image of present-day leaders. Nevertheless, one feels in her presence the strength and conviction of her inner being; unquestionably here is a woman who will continue to make a difference in our world.

Learn more about Sister Judith's organization, Sisters of Social Service.

Read Sister Judith’s story

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