Suddenly on Easter morning April 12, 2009, at the age of 71, Fr. George Leach died at home in the Regis College Jesuit Community house on Huron Street in Toronto. He was in his 51st year as a Jesuit and 40th year as a priest. Since January 1, 2009 he was the newly appointed Rector and Superior of the Jesuits at Regis College. Prior to this he was the Superior of the Jesuit Community in Halifax and Director of the Halifax Jesuit Centre of Spirituality. In his ministry as a Jesuit priest, he also served the Church as Director of the Lay Formation Program in the Archdiocese of Halifax, as Director of the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre in Espanola, Ont., as the Director of the Northern Ontario Jesuit Missions, as the Pastor of St. Andrew's Parish in Thunder Bay and as Director of the Canadian Jesuit Mission Office, now known as Canadian Jesuits International. On two separate occasions he served in the formation of young Jesuits as Master of Novices in Guelph, Ontario. Having been raised and educated in the Halifax area George was well known throughout the Maritimes for his pastoral ministry, for preaching parish missions, for spiritual direction, and for directing and promoting the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. He earned a Doctorate in Ministry from Regis College in Toronto for his work on the Spiritual Exercises and Native Spirituality. In 2006 he was inducted into the St. Mary's University Athletic Hall of Fame for his athletic prowess during his student days. He was deeply committed to Jesuit Community Life and to the vision and mission of the Society of Jesus. Friends may call at the Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home, 467 Sherbourne Street (south of Wellesley) on Wednesday, April 15th from 2-4 p.m., and from 7-9 p.m. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 520 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, Ont., on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. with interment at the Jesuit Cemetery in Guelph at 3 p.m. In memory of Fr. George Leach, donations may be made to the Jesuit Development Office, Regis College, 15 St. Mary Street, Toronto, Ont, M4Y 2R5.