A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Leo F. Weber, SJ, was celebrated Feb. 8 in the Chapel of the Beloved Disciple at St. Louis University High School. Father Weber died Feb. 3 in St. Louis. His Jesuit brothers remember him as a senior member of the province who loved the people of Belize and served his brothers as provincial. He was 98 years old, a Jesuit for 81 years and a priest for 68 years.
Leo Weber was born in Denver on April 12, 1926. After graduating from Regis Jesuit High School, he entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant on Aug. 8, 1943. He pronounced his first vows on Aug. 15, 1945, and was ordained a priest on June 18, 1956. He pronounced his final vows at St. John’s College in Belize City, Belize, on Nov. 6, 1971.
Father Weber earned a bachelor’s degree in Latin and a licentiate in philosophy from Saint Louis University. He studied theology at St. Mary’s College in St. Marys, Kansas (1953-57), earning a licentiate in sacred theology. He studied education at London University in England (1958-59).
Father Weber’s apostolic life was centered in Belize, Denver and province administration for the former Missouri Province. In Belize City, he became assistant director of elementary schools at the Catholic Presbytery (1959-63) before serving for eight years as rector-president of St. John’s College (1963-71), the last five of which he was also superior of the mission. He returned to Belize in 1984 as president of St. John’s College. After six years, he became director of the college’s extension program and of buildings and grounds (1990-94). From there, he was assigned to St. Peter Claver Parish in Punta Gorda, first as associate pastor (1994-99) and then as pastor (1999-2002).
Father Weber was well regarded in Belize and truly loved its people. In 2023, the Belize governor general conferred on him the Order of Distinction for his contributions to education.
In the middle of his apostolic life, Father Weber was tapped for service to the former Missouri Province — as assistant for international apostolates and province planning (1971-73) and assistant for formation (1972-73), before being chosen as provincial in 1973. As he finished his term, Saint Louis University bestowed an honorary doctorate on him in 1979.
After a sabbatical, during which he served as director of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (1979-80), he became the coordinator of retirement and convalescent care for the province (1980-81).
He was assigned as rector at Regis Jesuit High School in Denver from 1981-84. He returned 20 years later as assistant to the president (2002-05). There followed his long and popular service as chaplain at Arrupe Jesuit High School (2005-17), where he participated in no fewer than 27 Kairos retreats. To this day, his recorded voice leads Arrupe students in their afternoon examen.
Father Weber returned to St. Louis for pastoral ministry in 2017.
Burial was in Calvary Cemetery.
