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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to extend special thanks to the Leclerc family for their kindness and patience in allowing me to fulfill Msgr. Leo’s wishes in seeing that this story is told. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the faithful people who Msgr. Leo’s life touched, and whose lives touched his. Their contributions of photos, stories, memories and good wishes were abundantly helpful in completing this project by adding personal elements of faith and love to the narrative of a life so beautifully enriched by his priesthood. My personal thank you to my teacher, my student, my mentor, my friend, for <strong>final</strong>ly giving me the opportunity to tell a story, that in a world so filled with uncertainty, desperately needed to be told. I am humbly grateful for the richness and grace my life has experienced as a result of our friendship. Your untimely passing shall forever leave a hole in my heart, that is now filled with the example of your courage and many fond memories. Carol Anne Dube
A A Message From The Author On May 8, 2010 as I sat alone at the hospital bedside of the man who was my mentor and dear friend for over two decades, Msgr. Leo Leclerc, he said five words to me I will never forget. He said: “Put it in a book.” No other explanation was necessary, for I knew exactly what he meant. As a passionate writer, there was one story I was always eager to tell and that is the life story of this remarkable man. Over the years he resisted the idea of writing his memoirs or putting his life in print. But on this day, something had changed him. He was facing death with the faith, courage and conviction he lived out his whole life, and he now realized it was God’s plan to tell his story to others. On the evening of May 11, 2010 he called me on the phone from his hospital bed, and with weakened voice he said, “I know I have been hesitant before about telling my story, but now it is apparent to me that the whole process of my dying says something and I want you to share it. I love you and I trust my name is safe in your gifted hands.” I was overwhelmed by the offering of trust that I was just given by this humble, holy man. Over the next week, as his health allowed, we spent extensive amounts of time together working through the details of when, and how this project would unfold. As happened so often in the past when we worked together, we would always differ on the magnitude of the finished product. My motto was always “go big or go home.” He being more modest and a lot less marketing oriented than I, had a smaller plan in mind. We found common, holy, ground somewhere in the middle of our ideas and here in your hands is the result of that compromise. Two things were important to him and were prerequisites to his giving his blessing to go forward: one, that it would not be an historical, chronological treatise on the “life of Leo” as he said. Lastly, that it be inclusive in that it be available to all, and proceeds would benefit Catholic education in whatever area it was sold. He wanted this to be more of a focus on priesthood, vocations and the fulfillment of our baptismal call to holiness, rather than his own life. This could be accomplished and illustrated by the many stories and testimonies told on the memorial websites, created for him as he lay ill. So my friends, guided by prayerful conversations with God, inspired by the spirit of Leo, and taken from my own personal experience of him, here is the story of one of God’s most faithful servants; one who loved all and was loved by all, ordained a priest to bring God to people and people to God. I pray that my words and pictures have done justice to your memories of the man who was the “face and hands of Christ” here on earth. Carol Anne Dube
Page 1 and 2: …NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL… Rev
Page 6: Carol Anne Dube ...NOT MY WILL, BUT
Page 12 and 13: Forward
Page 14 and 15: The haunting tone of this phone cal
Page 16 and 17: they can. ” The second silence wa
Page 18: George Bernanos’ “Diary of A Co
Page 21 and 22: My Story I have called you by name
Page 23 and 24: You are a priest forever according
Page 25 and 26: Newman Center, University of Massac
Page 27 and 28: Believe what you read…
Page 29 and 30: ...and practice what you teach.
Page 31 and 32: Laughter…...
Page 33 and 34: The Final Chapter Sunday May 16, 20
Page 35 and 36: The Final Chapter Monday, May 17, 2
Page 38: This is the authorized story of Rev

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