Ici's Mother Converts to Catholicism to Preserve Peace in Her Marriage

My family sill lived in Szeged when my mother became seriously ill with gallstones while pregnant with me. It caused her great pains and she had to throw up so often, that finally she could hardly keep any food in her stomach. She kept loosing weight until she was down to 80 pounds.

Having to move to Budapest during her slow recovery from an operation to remove the stones, my mother was unable to handle the household and family without help. We had a maid, but nobody to take care of my mother and the newborn baby. Luckily my father was able to hire a social worker, which the children called "Margit Anya". She was nice to the children, wonderful with my mother, and adored and spoiled me to death (the second person to do so).

It was around that time when my mother converted to Catholicism. You see, she was a product of a "mixed marriage" - her father and brothers being Catholic, while she and her sisters were Lutherans. By following the Hungarian law, the boys followed the father’s religion and the girls followed the mother’s. My mother was well exposed to the religion of her husband and did not object my father’s request to baptize and raise their children Catholic.

All went well, until my mother’s youngest sister, Erzsike, also moved to Budapest. She was an enthusiastic Lutheran and fired up my mother to accompany her to their church. My father did not mind, until they started to take the children with them. Bitter fights followed, until my mother decided not to let this thing ruin their marriage and she willingly became Catholic.

Her decision to convert was influenced by her husband’s two-unmarried sisters, who arrived to Budapest to help my mother with the tremendous housework and her children. Ilus (Ilona) was the older, and somewhat cold and mannish in character. Irenke, (Irene) was my godmother and my namesake. She was a sweet and unusually warm woman. They complemented each other well.