Leo Aloysius Pursley (March 12, 1902—November 15, 1998) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend from 1956 to 1976.
Leo Pursley was born in Hartford City, Indiana, to Alexander Nelson and Mary Jeanette (née Sloan) Pursley.[1] His father was a local Democratic politician and delegate to the 1940 Democratic National Convention. He studied at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati,[1] and was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1927.[2] He served as a curate at St. Mary Church in Lafayette, St. Lawrence Church in Muncie, and St. Patrick Church in Fort Wayne; and as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Warsaw and of St. John the Baptist Church in Fort Wayne.[1]
On July 22, 1950, Pursley was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Fort Wayne and Titular Bishop of Hadrianopolis in Pisidia by Pope Pius XII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 19 from Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, with Bishops John F. Noll and Joseph M. Marling serving as co-consecrators.[2] Following the death of Bishop Noll, Pursley was named the sixth Bishop of Fort Wayne on December 29, 1956.[2] His installation took place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on February 26, 1957.[2] He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965.
After 19 years as bishop, Pursley resigned on August 24, 1976.[2] He died 22 years later, aged 96.
| Preceded by John F. Noll |
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend 1956—1976 |
Succeeded by William Edward McManus |