Bogdan Mandić was born in Castelnuovo in 1866, which is a part of modern day Montenegro. Despite the weakness of his body and a speech impediment, he was strong in spirit. At the age of sixteen, he entered into the seminary of the Venetian Capuchins, located in Udine, where he eventually took the name “Leopold.” Years later, he moved to Padua, Italy, where he taught religion and listened to confessions. During World War I, Leopold was arrested for refusing to deny his Croat heritage. When he returned from prison, Leopold continued to hear confessions and became known as the Apostle of Confession. He died of cancer in 1942. His feast day is May 12th.

Questions for Reflection:

• What kind of obstacles have you overcome to reach your goals?
• How can you help those with handicaps to succeed?