Obituary of Stephen J. Balint

The Reverend Stephen J. Balint passed away on May 16, 2020. He was 81 years of age. A prayer service was held at Saint Ann Parish in Bridgeport on Tuesday, May 26th led by Monsignor William J. Scheyd, P.A. Interment followed at Saint Michael’s Cemetery in Stratford. A public invited Memorial Mass will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., with Bishop Frank J. Caggiano as the principal celebrant at St. Ann Church, 481 Brewster Street, Bridgeport, CT 06605. Stephen Joseph Balint was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on December 21, 1938, son of Stephen Joseph Balint and Helen I. (Varga) Balint. He attended Saint Stephen Parochial School in Bridgeport and Fairfield College Preparatory School. He began his priestly formation at Saint Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, Connecticut and then continued on to Our Lady of Angels in Albany, New York. He was ordained to the Priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis at Saint Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport on May 22, 1965. Father Balint served as Assistant at Saint Joseph Parish in Danbury from 1965–1967, and Saint Ambrose Parish in Bridgeport from 1967–1970. In 1970 he remained at Saint Ambrose Parish with the new title of Associate Pastor of the Team Ministry. The Team Ministry was an experiment new to the Diocese at that time. Father Balint continued in that position until 1971 when he became Coordinator of Catholic Boy Scout Activities in the Norwalk-Ridgefield area. From 1968-1971 Father Balint, ( a former Eagle Scout himself ) was the Council Chaplain for the Pomperaug Council B.S.A. and through his many years of service to the Connecticut Yankee Council in the B.S.A. went on to receive a number of honors and awards. In 1976 he also participated in the historic visit of his Eminence Joszef Cardinal Mindszenty at his St. Ladislaus Parish of South Norwalk, where he was a resident Priest for nearly 40 years where he coordinated the Hungarian Ministry, fluent in Hungarian Father Balint celebrated the Hungarian Mass there as well as a guest Priest for the Hungarian Mass at St. Emery Church of Fairfield. Father Balint was the Chaplin and proud 4th Degree Lifetime Member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1253 in South Norwalk. He retired from the Diocese of Bridgeport on January 15, 2014. In retirement he was a resident of the Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Residence of Stamford Fr. Balint assisted in celebrating Mass at the neighboring St. Bridget of Ireland parish, Stamford. He was feted at a retirement party given by his many friends and parishoners from St. Ladislaus Parish with many attending from St. Emery' Parish. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Balint. Arrangements in the care of the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home. To sign an online register, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com