Rev Leonhard Kiesch SJ
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Leonhard
Middle Names:
Michael
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Kiesch
Order:
SJ
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Gliwice
Country of Birth:
Poland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Melbourne VIC
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Baden-Baden
Country of Death:
Germany
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Frankfurt-am-Main
Country of Burial:
Germany
Find A Grave URL:
Biographical Notes
Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017, post-publication supplement:
Kiesch, Leonard
Chaplain, pastor; born Gliwice, Poland, 29 September 1943; died Baden-Baden, Germany, 29 June 2019, aged 75.
Leonard Michael Kiesch, the sixth of seven children, was education at a technical school for three years, and entered the Society, 16 December 1960, Southern Province of Poland. After two years Juniorate studies, he studied philosophy for three years at Krakow. During this time, he was taken by force to the Polish army and served two years in Gdansk. He had no regency but after one year of theology in Warszawa, he spent three years at the Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, Victoria, 1970-73. He and fellow Polish scholastic Tony Slowik were ordained by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, Archbishop of Kraków, in Melbourne, 25 February 1973. Tertianship, 1976-77 was in Sydney, under director, Father Frank Wallace, and he was professed at St Ignatius' Church, Richmond, 15 August 1982.
After ordination Kiesch took responsibility for the Polish Marian Shrine in Essendon. It was a large community that he served with great dedication. Soon after he was appointed by Melbourne Archbishop, Sir Frank Little, to coordinate the Polish ministry in the Archdiocese of Melbourne until 1982.
After a sabbatical in Rome 1983, where he was disappointed with unsuccessful studies, Kiesch moved to Niedersteinbach, West Germany, and pastoral work, 1984-2002.
Appointed by the Bishops' Conference of Germany, Kiesch worked as chaplain to the German Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, 2004-2007, living at St Christopher's in Camberwell. Then he returned to Germany, becoming part-time chaplain to the nursing home in Neubiberg, Munich, 2008-10. He retired to some pastoral work at a nursing home in Baden Baden, 2012-2019, the last three years as a patient. His funeral Mass was in Frankfurt.
Kiesch had a nasty car accident in Melbourne, 1973, and spent many months in the Alfred Hospital. He suffered from alcoholism after this, which affected him for much of his life. With declining health, Kiesch declined further treatment. His death gave him the peace for which he longed.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)