Holy Trinity's Fr. Leander enters eternal rest

Fr. Leander Dosch, 96, died in the early hours of Jan. 2. He had been in monastic vows for 76 years and 71 years a priest when the Lord called him.

Born in Anaheim, Saskatchewan in Canada, Fr. Leander began his vocation as a Benedictine. He was ordained a priest at St. Peter’s Abbey in Saskatchewan in 1950. In 1975, he entered Utah’s Holy Trinity Abbey. He professed solemn vows in 1980 and served as the community’s abbot from 1995 to 2000. Over the years, Fr. Leander also served as liturgy director, cantor, gift shop manager and sub-prior.

Gethsemani founded Holy Trinity in 1947. When Holy Trinity closed in 2017, the remaining monks’ stability was transferred to Gethsemani, though they opted to remain in Utah at an assisted living center.

A funeral Mass for Fr. Leander was celebrated on Jan. 7 in Salt Lake City. Fr. Lourduraj Gally Gregory, chaplain of the nursing home, presided. Per his wishes, Fr. Leander’s body was buried in the diocesan Mount Calvary Cemetery rather than in the cemetery on the former site of Holy Trinity Abbey.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.