Retired Msgr. William Leach, 92, recently celebrated 67 years of priesthood
When Msgr. William Leach was ordained a priest, Dwight D. Eisenhower was about halfway through his presidency. The Second Vatican Council had not yet been convened. Man had never set foot on the moon.
And in 2025, Msgr. Leach will proudly tell you that he’s held onto at least one old-school habit: he’s never owned a cell phone.
After decades of parish ministry, Msgr. Leach now lives at Mother of Good Counsel Home in Northwoods. He is among 103 retired priests in the Archdiocese of St. Louis who benefit from an annual special second collection held at Masses on Easter. The collection supports priests in retirement, ensuring they receive the essential care they need, including physician services, hospitalization, nursing home care, vision care and disability, now and for years to come, regardless of where they live and whether they remain active in sacramental ministries.
Msgr. Leach, 92, was ordained to the priesthood in March 1958 by then-Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter. His first assignment was in the missionary apostolate in southern Missouri. He served as associate pastor at four parishes before being named pastor of St. Jude Parish in Overland (1974-84), then St. John the Baptist “Gildehaus” Parish in Villa Ridge (1984-2001). He served as a senior priest in service at St. Peter Parish in St. Charles before moving to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish in Mehlville in 2004, where he remained after retiring in 2011. He moved to Regina Cleri in 2022 and Mother of Good Counsel in 2023.
While retired in residence at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Msgr. Leach took on the ministry of visiting homebound or hospitalized parishioners. Even after he stopped driving, a group of parishioners volunteered as his drivers, putting together a schedule to ensure he could continue his visits several days a week.
“I enjoyed working with people, and I especially enjoyed working with the elder people. I would go out and visit them, either in their homes or nursing homes or hospitals, wherever they were,” Msgr. Leach said. “…I simply talked to them. And then whatever their problem was, they would tell me what the problem was, and I’d try to give them some consolation from a spiritual aspect.”
He also continued to celebrate Mass, hear confessions and visit with the schoolchildren.
A retired priest serving in a parish “can be very inspiring for the parishioners,” allowing them to see priests willing to give of themselves even as they grow advanced in age, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque pastor Msgr. Norb Ernst said.
Msgr. Leach arrived at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque just a few months after Msgr. Ernst became pastor in 2004, and they lived and served together for the next 18 years. Some of Msgr. Ernst’s favorite memories were simply eating dinner together in the rectory and hearing stories of Msgr. Leach’s early days as a priest in the rural parishes of southern Missouri.
When Msgr. Leach moved to Regina Cleri, Msgr. Ernst and parishioners visited him often and would pick him up and bring him back for big parish events, keeping him connected to the community.
“I remember the first time he was welcomed back, there was applause. Everyone loved seeing him again,” Msgr. Ernst said.
While it’s harder for parishioners to make it up to Mother of Good Counsel to visit, they continue to ask for regular updates on Msgr. Leach, Msgr. Ernst said. “People will ask, how’s Monsignor doing? Have you seen him? Have you talked to him? So his memory is alive and well.”
For Msgr. Ernst — who recently announced his own upcoming retirement on July 1 — the retired priests collection is a chance to remember “all the priests who have served them over the years,” he said. “Now, they may be retired, but it’s very important to continue to support them with prayers and financial offerings.”
At Mother of Good Counsel, Msgr. Leach’s days are quiet. Several other retired priests live on his floor, and he enjoys sitting and talking with them during breakfast and lunch.
And when he looks back at 67 years (and counting) of priesthood, he’s never doubted that he chose the right vocation.
“I’ve enjoyed it all,” he said simply.
2025 Retired Priest Collection
The annual Archbishop’s Collection for Retired Priests is traditionally held on Easter Sunday. The collection helps assure our priests receive the essential care they need, including physician services, hospitalization, nursing home care, vision care and disability, now and for years to come.
There are currently 103 retired priests in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Nineteen are in residence at parishes, while the rest are retired at Regina Cleri, a private residence or in a senior living/nursing home.
You can make your gift at Mass through the designated envelope, or any envelope marked Retired Priests, on or after Easter weekend. Online gifts are welcome year-round at archstl.org/retiredpriests.
