Local Man Translates Portions Of Newspaper For Hungarians

The Vermont Catholic Tribune:
Great, in any language
By Emily A. Bessette
Tribune Correspondent

FAIRFAX - Thomas and Clara Szell immigrated to the United States 34 years ago, but that does not mean they have lost ties with their homeland, Hungary.

The Szells, parishioners at St. Luke Church, here, have a unique way of staying in touch with their friends and relatives in Budapest.

Thomas Szell sits down with each issue of the "Kids' Chronicle" and "CateQuiz 'Em" sections of The Vermont Catholic Tribune and translates the columns into Hungarian before sending it across the Atlantic.

Szell is a former chemistry professor and chemical engineer, retired from teaching at the United Nation's International School in New York. He finds the task of translating and sending the paper to be very enjoyable, though there can be difficulties. "It is not always easy to translate some jokes or some clues," Szell said. "Some words are not known in Hungary. Sometimes I substitute words or clues to have the quiz make sense." Also, Szell said that the quizzes are not a form of test usually used in Hungary, so sometimes he will change the style of the VCT's sections.

When the translated and transformed VCT sections arrive in Budapest, they are given to a Jesuit brother who runs a paper for young people. The paper is titled "A Sziv" which means "Heart" in Hungarian. Szell said it was named because of the Jesuit brother's devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Once at the paper, some sections of the translated VCT columns are not published for about a year. Szell explained, "When I receive a Tribune with a children's section that explains the feast day of St. Augustine on August 28th, I will translate the section and send it to Hungary immediately.

However, it will not be published until the next year, when the feast of St. Augustine comes around again."

Szell said that he translates and sends the VCT because the paper "has some great things in it" that he believes his friends and family in Budapest should be able to enjoy. "It is such a pleasure for me to do, and it is useful to them," Szell said.