Born in Croatia in 1866, he was the 12th child of Dragica and Peter Mandic and his father owned a fishing fleet. 

Leopold grew up with severe physical limitations and remained quite small but his faith was anything but that, and when he was in his middle teens he made the decision to join the Capuchin Friars. When he was 24 years old, Leopold was ordained in Venice. 

Although he was an excellent writer, he could not speak loud enough to preach publicly, and the health issues he had as a youth followed Leopold into adulthood. 

Although he had a hard time speaking to large groups he was an outstanding teacher and confessor. He was sent to the Capuchin Friaries in Croatia and Venice to minister and instruct. 

Always, Leopold had a dream. Not of better health but that the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church would someday be one, but his health never allowed him to travel very far so he dedicated many hours of his prayer to this hope. 

Leopold died of cancer in 1942 during WWII. He predicted correctly that the Friary would be bombed but that his own cell would survive and, so it did. He wrote: “The church and the friary will be hit by the bombs, but not this little cell. Here God exercised so much Mercy for people, it must remain as a monument to God’s goodness.” 

He was Canonized in 1982 by St. Pope John Paul II. 

St. Leopold Mandic, please pray for us.