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Father Leo Heinrichs, O.F.M. (August 15, 1867, Oestrich, now a part of the city Erkelenz, Kingdom of Prussia - February 23, 1908, Denver, Colorado, United States) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order. While assigned to St. Elisabeth of Hungary Church in Denver, Colorado, Father Heinrichs was fatally shot while distributing communion. The shooter, a Sicilian Anarchist later described his motivations as hatred of Catholicism. ==Biography== Joseph Heinrichs was born on August 15, 1867, in Oestrich, near Erkelenz, Westphalia, Germany. Under persecution from Otto von Bismarck's ''Kulturkampf'', the Franciscan Chapter of St. Elizabeth of Hungary fled their monastery in Fulda and settled at St. Bonaventure's Friary in Paterson, New Jersey. Although still studying in minor seminary, Joseph Heinrichs emigrated to America with them. In New Jersey, on December 4, 1886, Joseph Heinrichs received the Franciscan habit and the monastic name Brother Leo. He took his final vows on December 8, 1890, and was ordained to the priesthood on July 26, 1891. Between 1891 and 1907, Father Leo served in various positions in the New York and New Jersey area including pastor at Holy Angels parish in Singac (Little Falls), New Jersey, at St. Stephen's in Croghan, New York,〔(Father Leo left his mark Franciscan rebuilt Croghan parish, and a case was built for sainthood," ''Watertown Daily Times'', October 10, 2010 ).〕 and at St. Bonaventure's. During a smallpox epidemic in Paterson, Father Leo was known to spend many hours at a nearby “pest house” ministering to the sick and the dying. In September 1907, the Provincial Chapter appointed him pastor of St. Elizabeth's parish in Denver, Colorado. Father Leo arrived at St. Elizabeth's on September 23, 1907. His term as pastor lasted exactly five months. Father Leo received permission to return to Germany to visit his family after an absence of over twenty one years; but he postponed his journey until after June 7, 1908, when he planned to give First Communion to a class of seventy children. A week before his death, he spoke at the Young Ladies' Sodality meeting. He remarked, “If I had my choice of a place where I would die, I would choose to die at the feet of the Blessed Virgin.”〔(Fr. Leo Heinrichs, O.F.M. )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Leo Heinrichs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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