Vincent Martin Leonard | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Pittsburgh Titular Bishop of Arsacal | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Pittsburgh |
| Predecessor | John Joseph Wright |
| Successor | Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua |
| Other post(s) | Titular Bishop of Arsacal |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | June 16, 1935 by Hugh C. Boyle |
| Consecration | April 21, 1964 by John Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 11, 1908 |
| Died | September 28, 1994(1994-09-28) (aged 85) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US |
| Motto | That I may gain Christ |
| Styles of Vincent Leonard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
| Posthumous style | none |
Vincent Martin Leonard (December 11, 1908 – August 28, 1994) was an Americanprelate of theCatholic Church. He served as bishop of theDiocese of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from 1969 to 1983.
Vincent Leonard was born on December 11, 1908, inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of nine children of Francis and Catherine (née Dolan) Leonard.[1] His father worked in thesteel mills.[1] He was raised in theHill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and received his early education at theparochial school of St. Brigid Parish.[2] After graduating from Duquesne University Preparatory School, he studied atDuquesne University in Pittsburgh and then atSt. Vincent Seminary inLatrobe.[3]
Leonard wasordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Pittsburgh by BishopHugh C. Boyle on June 16, 1935.[4] His first assignment was as assistantchaplain atMercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he remained for two years.[3] From 1937 to 1950, he was resident chaplain of Allegheny County Home and Woodville State Hospital.[2] He was later named assistantchancellor (1950), chancellor (1951), andvicar general (1959) of the diocese.[1] In addition to these duties, Boyle served aspastor of St. Patrick Parish in theStrip District (1955–1967) and of St. Philip Parish inCrafton, Pennsylvania (1967–1969).[1] He was named adomestic prelate byPope Pius XII in 1952.[3]
On February 28, 1964, Leonard was appointed as anauxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh andTitular Bishop ofArsacal byPope Paul VI.[4] He received hisepiscopalconsecration on April 21, 1964, from BishopJohn Wright, with BishopsRichard Henry Ackerman andWilliam G. Connare serving asco-consecrators.[4] He selected as his episcopalmotto:Ut Christum Lucrifaciam ("That I may gain Christ").[5]
After Bishop Wright was named to head theCongregation for the Clergy, Leonard was appointed the ninth bishop of Pittsburgh on June 1, 1969.[4] During his tenure, he became one of the first bishops in the United States to make his diocesan financial reports public, and established a due-process system to allow Catholics to appeal any administrative decision they believed was a violation ofcanon law.[1] In 1974, he threatened three priests with disciplinary action for givingCommunion in the hand when it was not yet permitted in the United States.[1] He also served on the Pro-Life Committee of theNational Conference of Catholic Bishops and on the Health Affairs Committee of theUnited States Catholic Conference.[3]
Pope John Paul II accepted Leonard's resignation as Bishop of Pittsburgh on June 30, 1983, due toarthritis.[6] Vincent Leonard died on August 28, 1994, frompneumonia at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home in Pittsburgh, at age 85.[3] He is buried inCalvary Cemetery in theHazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[7]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Pittsburgh 1969–1983 | Succeeded by |
