Leo Aloysius Pursley

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Leo Aloysius Pursley
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; Leo Aloysius Pursley
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Church	Roman Catholic
Province	Indianapolis
Diocese	Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
In office	1956-1976
Predecessor	John F. Noll
Successor	William Edward McManus
Orders
Ordination	June 11, 1927; by Bishop John F. Noll
Consecration	September 19, 1951; by Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, John F. Noll, Joseph M. Marling, co-consecrators
Personal details
Born	March 12, 1902; Hartford City, Indiana
Died	November 15, 1998 (aged 96)
Nationality	American
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Parents	Alexander Nelson and Mary Jeanette (née Sloan) Pursley
Education	Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West

Leo Aloysius Pursley (March 12, 1902 – November 15, 1998) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend from 1956 to 1976.

Biography

Leo Pursley was born in Hartford City, Indiana, to Alexander Nelson and Mary Jeanette (née Sloan) Pursley.^[1] His father was a local Democratic politician and delegate to the 1940 Democratic National Convention. He studied at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati,^[1] and was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1927.^[2] He served as a curate at St. Mary Church in Lafayette, St. Lawrence Church in Muncie, and St. Patrick Church in Fort Wayne; and as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Warsaw and of St. John the Baptist Church in Fort Wayne.^[1]

On July 22, 1950, Pursley was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Fort Wayne and Titular Bishop of Hadrianopolis in Pisidia by Pope Pius XII.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 19 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops John F. Noll and Joseph M. Marling serving as co-consecrators.^[2] Following the death of Bishop Noll, Pursley was named the sixth Bishop of Fort Wayne on December 29, 1956.^[2] His installation took place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on February 26, 1957.^[2] He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965.

After 19 years as bishop, Pursley resigned on August 24, 1976.^[2] He died 22 years later, aged 96.

^ ^a ^b ^c Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. Vol. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Bishop Leo Aloysius Pursley". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.^{[self-published source]}

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by John F. Noll	Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend 1956—1976	Succeeded by William Edward McManus

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Bishops	Ordinaries John Henry Luers Joseph Gregory Dwenger Joseph Rademacher Herman Joseph Alerding John F. Noll Leo Aloysius Pursley William Edward McManus John Michael D'Arcy Kevin C. Rhoades Auxiliary bishops Joseph Robert Crowley John Richard Sheets Daniel R. Jenky
Churches	Cathedrals Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend Basilica Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame Parishes St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Avilla St. Mary's Catholic Church, Huntington St. Adalbert Church, South Bend St. Casimir Church, South Bend
Education	Higher education Ancilla Domini College, Donaldson University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne Holy Cross College, Notre Dame Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame High schools Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers High School, Fort Wayne Marian High School, Mishawaka St. Joseph High School, South Bend
Priests	John George Bennett John Paul Elford Andrew Gregory Grutka
Miscellany	Our Sunday Visitor
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