FAITH OF OUR FATHERS

JANUARY 9, 2019: Monica Waters enters Postulancy with religious order

Great-great-granddaughter of Leisz Brother Joseph, Monica Hope Waters, has been called to religious life. Monica, who has prayed about this for several years, entered Postulancy with the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on January 9th. Monica's paternal great-grandmother is Joseph's eldest child, Mary "Marie" Leisz Waters Lucas. Marie had only one child, Billy Waters, and Billy, 88, has 11 children and 59 great-grandchildren with wife Cathie Rossi Waters. Monica is one of their 59 grandchildren.

Monica's dad is Billy and Cathie's eldest child, Bill Emerick Waters, 59, and his wife Anne Mills Waters. Monica is one of four children, including brother David, sister Grace, and brother Albert.

On January 9th, the sisters wrote, "We are so blessed to have welcomed Monica Waters into Postulancy with us this morning! Join us in celebrating and praying that God continues blessing her throughout formation."

MONICA'S CONTACT INFORMATION: Monica can receive mail, just can only reply one Sunday each month. She would welcome a card or letter. Here is the address: 1355 W 70th St. Cleveland, OH 44102.

FAITH OF OUR FATHERS: Please keep Monica in your prayers as she continues throughout formation toward taking her final vows. And let's celebrate the Faith of our Leisz Fathers (and Mothers) who instilled a strong belief in God in their children, with this legacy passing through generations to those of us today.

ABOUT THE MERCEDARIANS

reunited 50 years later!

Rosella Minnichsoffer Lynn (left) and Helen Leisz McCoy

These two ladies are first cousins (pictured above on the First Holy Communion Day). They hadn't seen one another in over 50 years, until they happened to be standing next to one another at the 2002 Homeward Bound Leisz Family Reunion in Turtle Lake.

Rosella is from Minnesota and Helen had traveled to the reunion from California. Both were born in Turtle Lake and grew up there. Helen (1919-2006) is the daughter of Leisz Brother Anton, and Rosella (1920-2015) is the granddaughter of Mary Leisz Minnichsoffer (1862-1903), and the daughter of Mary's son Joseph Frank Minnichsoffer (1889-1968) and his wife Theodora Greene (1894-1981).

Rosella wrote about this in a letter she sent to Denise Leisz after the reunion. An excerpt:

"A very short time after arriving at the St. Ann's Hall Friday, I was standing by the MARY table—being proud of how my daughter, Louise Kasid, had displayed the pictures and labeled on the tri-fold. Others gathered around and I was explaining who was on the First Communion picture with me in 1928. When I said Helen Leisz, two girls said, 'There she is.' She was standing next to me. I would have never guessed who she was. So we decided to have our picture taken as the girls said there were two candles on a table down the line exactly like those on the picture. "

ABOUT THE ABOVE PHOTO

In September 2013, Marian Leisz Hammang met with Father Dominic Peluse, SCJ, at her home in Temecula, California.

Marian is the youngest child of Anton and Sophia Leisz of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. She gifted this century-old Leisz family heirloom to the Priests of the Sacred Heart, headquartered in Franklin (greater Milwaukee), Wisconsin. It would be a fitting home, Marian knew, back in the state where it first graced the walls of her family’s farmhouse 100 years ago.

Late last year the picture was restored by the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and put on display at the order's Novitiate House—with gratitude to early Wisconsin settlers Anton and Sophia Leisz.

CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW TO LEARN MORE

STORY OF THE SACRED HEART PICTURE

Leisz Family History

Leisz family member enters religious life

JANUARY 9, 2019: Monica Waters enters Postulancy with religious order