Leonard, called "the great missionary of the 18th century"
by St. Alphonsus Liguori, was another Franciscan who tried to go to the foreign missions (China),
failed at that and succeeded tremendously in some other work.
Leonard’s father was a ship captain whose family lived in Port Maurice on the northwestern
coast of Italy. At 13, Leonard went to Rome to live with his uncle Agostino and study at the Roman
College. Leonard was a good student and was destined for a career in medicine. In 1697, however, he
joined the Friars Minor, a decision that his uncle opposed bitterly.
After ordination Leonard contracted tuberculosis and was sent to his hometown to rest or
perhaps to die. He made a vow that if he recovered he would dedicate his life to the missions and to
the conversion of sinners. He soon was able to begin his 40-year career of preaching retreats,
Lenten sermons and parish missions throughout Italy. His missions lasted 15 to 18 days, and he often
stayed an additional week to hear confessions. He said: "I believe that in those days the real and
greatest fruit of the mission is gathered. As much good is done in these days as during the
As a means of keeping alive the religious fervor
awakened in a mission, Leonard promoted the Stations of the Cross, a devotion which had made little
progress in Italy up to this time. He also preached regularly on the Holy Name of
Since he realized that he needed time simply to pray
alone, Leonard regularly made use of the ritiros (houses of recollection) that he helped establish
Leonard was canonized in 1867; in 1923 he
was named patron of those who preach parish missions.