St. Benedict Monastery Online: Memorials

     On October 27, 2005 our dear friend and brother, Abbot Leo Maria Cornelli was called to eternal life. Born in Pittsburg, Kansas in 1912, he felt the call to enter religious life at an early age. Since our community was just getting established in this country, Leo had to go to Italy for his monastic and academic formation. He completed his novitiate at or Mother House in Fabriano and his philosophical and theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. His ordination took place at the Church Sts. John and Paul in 1935 at the age of 23!

     Soon after his ordination to the priesthood, Fr. Leo Cornelli returned to the U.S. to assist at Our Lady of Help and later at St. Scholastic Parishes in Detroit. In 1953 Father was elected Prior of the community in the American Province and in 1959 became the Pastor of St. Scholastica Church. In October of that same year, he was called back to Italy because our community elected him as the Abbot General of our Benedictine Congregation. During his office as Abbot, he as able to participate in the sessions of the Second Vatican Council as well as attend to his duties as the superior of our community, worldwide.

     A Abbot Leo Cornelli,
O.S.B.

fter Abbot Leo’s term had ended in 1966, he returned to the United States where he ministered in parishes (especially St. Allan’s Church in Detroit) and served as chaplain of the Order of Alhambera and the Knights of Columbus locally. His friends and family knew his generosity, gentleness and genuine concern for our religious community and the Church not only in the things he said, but also in the way he lived the monastic life. As a monk, Abbot Leo had a great devotion to our Lord, often being seen walking through the hallways with his rosary in hand, praying in the chapel or ministering to individuals who would come to him for spiritual counsel or a helping hand. Even during his last days at Lourdes Nursing Home in Waterford, Michigan, those whom he touched would visit him on a regular basis and his love those people (including his fellow monks) did not diminish with his health.
On November 1st, a funeral Mass was celebrated for Abbot Leo Maria Cornelli at the Church he once pastored and he was laid to rest in Oxford, where the monks from our Priory, young and old said “farewell” to a brother who “lead the way” as the first American born member of our Benedictine congregation.