by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Feb. 10, 2025
The well-beloved, recognized, and retired Jesuit priest, Fr. Leo F. Weber passed away on Monday, February 3. Fr. Weber spent his entire adulthood serving Christ, holding the title of Jesuit for 81 years, 68 of those years as a priest.
Born in 1926 in Denver, Colorado, US, Fr. Weber entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) at St. Stanislaus Seminary in Florissant, Missouri, after completing Regis Jesuit High School in 1943. From there, he pronounced his first vows in 1945. He was ordained as a priest in 1956, and pronounced his final vows at St. John’s College in Belize City in 1971.
Fr. Weber traveled between Belize, Denver, and Missouri. He became assistant director of elementary schools at the Catholic Presbytery (1959-63) before serving 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 in Belize.
Several years later, Fr. Weber became director of the College’s extension program and 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).
Fr. Weber was well educated, as he held a bachelor’s degree in Latin and a licentiate in philosophy from Saint Louis University. He also studied theology at St. Mary’s College in St. Mary’s, Kansas (1953-57), earning a licentiate in sacred theology, and studied at London University in England (1958-59).
Throughout his time in Belize, Fr. Weber earned the respect of many Belizeans and was awarded the Order of Distinction for his contributions to education by the Governor General of Belize in 2023.
In 2017, Fr. Weber returned to the US for pastoral ministry and resided there until his passing due to natural causes.
He was 98.