George L. Leech

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

Biography

Early life George Leech was born on May 21, 1890, in Ashley, Pennsylvania, to William Dillon and Helen Mary (née Fitzimons) Leech. He attended Hanover Township High School in Hanover, Pennsylvania, and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.

Priesthood Leech was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Denis Dougherty on May 29, 1920.

Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of Harrisburg On July 6, 1935, Leech was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Harrisburg and titular bishop of Mela by Pope Pius XI. He received his episcopal consecration on October 17, 1935, from Cardinal Dougherty, with Bishops Thomas O’Reilly and James Ryan serving as co-consecrators. In 1946, Leech described Howard Hughes' 1943 film The Outlaw as "a destructive and corrupting picture which glamorizes crime and immorality".

Leech attended the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965; Reverend William Keeler served as his peritus, or expert, at the council. at age 94.

On August 1, 2018, Bishop Ronald Gainer, Leech's successor as bishop of Harrisburg, announced that the diocese was removing the names of every bishop of Harrisburg from 1947 onward – including Leech's – from any building or room in the diocese named in their honor, due to their failure to protect victims of sexual abuse.