Rev. Leo M. Weiland, CSV, died on Monday, February 26 in Las Vegas, NV. Leo died at Valley Hospital where he had been a patient since February 2nd due to emphysema and congestive heart failure. At the time of his death, Leo, better known to most of us as “Stash”, was 78 years old.
Leo was born in Chicago on Jan. 15, 1912 and entered the novitiate on Sept. 7, 1932. He was professed the following year and completed his Bachelor’s Degree at St. Viator College in 1935. Prior to entering the Community, Leo had studied at Mundelein Seminary for one year. He completed his theology at Catholic University of America in 1938 and was ordained in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 10, 1938 by Bishop J. McNamara.
Leo’s entire active ministry was spent in classroom teaching. He began at St. Patrick High School in Eau Claire, Wisconsin from 1938 – 1941, spent two years teaching at Mercy College in Detroit and then in 1943 transferred to Cathedral Boys’ High School for one year. In 1944 he moved to St. Philip High School where he spent fourteen years on the faculty and in 1958 went to Spalding Institute in Peoria for five years. Leo began ten years of service at St. Viator High School in 1963 and then moved west in 1973 to begin teaching at Bishop Gorman High School. Following his retirement in 1977, he began to do part time counseling at Gorman High School for a few years and also provided weekend help at Guardian Angel Cathedral. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in Las Vegas at the Cathedral on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1990 and then Father Weiland’s body was returned to Chicago. A Visitation at the Province Center was held on Thursday, March 1, 1990 from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 7:30 p.m. and burial took place on Friday, March 2, 1990 in the Community plot at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Please remember “Stash” in your prayers and gather in community to celebrate Eucharist in his memory.
Taken from letter to the Viatorian Community on February 27, 1990 from the Provincial, Rev. Patrick W. Render, CSV