George L. Leech

Styles of George Leech

Reference style	The Right Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop
Posthumous style	none

George Leo Leech (May 21, 1890 – March 12, 1985) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from 1935 to 1971.

Biography

George Leech was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, to William Dillon and Helen Mary (née Fitzimons) Leech. After attending Hanover Township High School and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Denis Dougherty on May 29, 1920. He then furthered his studies at the Catholic University of America, from where he obtained his doctorate in canon law.

Leech served as secretary of the Apostolic Delegation to the United States, and then as pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in Pottsville. He was raised to the rank of a Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness in 1925, and a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness in 1934, as well as serving as spiritual director of the Regional Holy Name Union and moderator of Ecclesiastical Conferences.

On July 6, 1935, Leech was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Harrisburg and Titular Bishop of Mela by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 17 from Cardinal Dougherty, with Bishops Thomas O’Reilly and James Ryan serving as co-consecrators.

Leech was later named the fifth Bishop of Harrisburg on December 19 of that same year. After a month as Harrisburg’s ordinary, he was able to recall the forenames of all the clergy of his diocese.^[1] In 1946, he described Howard Hughes’s film The Outlaw as "a destructive and corrupting picture which glamorizes crime and immorality".^[2]

The Bishop attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965; Fr. William Keeler served as his peritus, or expert, at the Council. Leech retired from his post on October 29, 1971, following thirty-five years of service. On that same date, he was made Titular Bishop of Allegheny.

Leech continued to reside at the episcopal residence, and later died at Holy Spirit Hospital,^[3] at the age of 94. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Harrisburg.

References

↑ TIME Magazine. More Bishops May 4, 1936
↑ TIME Magazine. That Outlaw June 10, 1946
↑ New York Times. Bishop George Leech Dies March 14, 1985

External links

Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Northeast Pennsylvania

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Philip R. McDevitt	Bishop of Harrisburg 1935–1971	Succeeded by Joseph Thomas Daley

Diocese of Harrisburg

Bishops	Ordinaries Jeremiah F. Shanahan Thomas McGovern John W. Shanahan Philip R. McDevitt George L. Leech Joseph Thomas Daley William Henry Keeler Nicholas C. Dattilo Kevin C. Rhoades Joseph P. McFadden Ronald William Gainer Auxiliaries Lawrence F. Schott Joseph T. Daley

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Patrick, Harrisburg Basilicas Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Conewago Basilica of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Danville Parishes St. Edward's Church, Shamokin

Education	High Schools Bishop McDevitt High School, Harrisburg Delone Catholic High School, McSherrystown Lancaster Catholic High School, Lancaster Lebanon Catholic High School, Lebanon Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School, Coal Township Trinity High School, Camp Hill York Catholic High School, York

Priests	Edward C. Malesic William J. Waltersheid

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