Brother Leo V. Shedy, MM

Born: October 28, 1930
Oath: June 29, 1958
Died: February 28, 2026

Brother Leo V. Shedy died on February 28, 2026 in the Skilled Nursing Unit at Maryknoll, New York. He was 95 years old and a Maryknoll Brother for 67 years.

Leo Vincent Shedy was born in Waco, Texas on October 28, 1930, and was adopted by Antonia and William Shedy at the age of two and a half. He had two stepsisters, Mary Tayler and Mary C. Williamson, both deceased. Leo was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1956 after serving eight years, and again in 1973 after reenlisting for another four-year tour. During his military service, he received numerous medals including the National Defense, Korean Service, U.N. Service, Good Conduct, Vietnam Service, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Leo entered the Brothers Novitiate at Brookline, Massachusetts, in September 1956, and pronounced his first Oath on June 29, 1958, taking the religious name Barnabas.

In 1958, Brother Leo’s first assignment was to the Brothers Institute at Maryknoll, New York, where he learned carpentry, welding, electrical work, construction, plumbing and auto mechanics. In 1960, Brother Leo was assigned to the Japanese Mission in Los Angeles, California, where he drove a school bus, worked in maintenance, and served as an assistant scout master.

Brother Leo took his Perpetual Oath on June 19, 1964, and was assigned to Huancané, Peru after completing language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He later worked at the Puno Society House as a mechanic and maintenance person. His superiors wrote of Brother Leo, “He is an easy companion, willing, obedient, self-sacrificing, and faithful to religious life.” In 1973, he was assigned to the Maryknoll Novitiate at Hingham, Massachusetts, where he did maintenance work until 1977, when he was assigned to Riberalta, Bolivia. He remained in Bolivia for two years, maintaining the river boats, after which he was assigned to the seminary residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to assist with renovations.

In 1980, Brother Leo was reassigned to Puno, Peru as director of the Society House. He moved to Juli in 1983, joining Monsignor Albert Koenigsknecht, MM, to do maintenance work in the prelature. He was assigned to the new mission in Jacobacci, Argentina in 1993, and in 1995 returned to Lima, Peru to perform renovations and maintenance at the Society House.

Brother Leo returned to the United States in 1998 and moved to Houston, Texas, to help manage the house there. He was assigned to the Mission Promotion Department in January 1999. The following year, he went to the Rome House temporarily to assist with renovations. He returned to Houston in 2001, at which time he was granted retired status.

Brother Leo continued his work in Houston until June 2006, when he was assigned to the Senior Missioner Community and moved to the Maryknoll Residence in Los Altos, California. He took on various odd jobs at the house, including serving as a driver for the residents. He stayed at Los Altos until 2021, when he moved to the Society Center at Maryknoll, New York.

Reflecting on his mission journey, Brother Leo said, “By His grace, God gave me the ability to work with my hands to glorify Him as a person of service. I hope I did God’s will. He sent me to be a Maryknoll Missioner, and by His grace I am what I am… I thank God for becoming a Maryknoll Brother and a missioner, and being able to be of service to the people of Peru, other missions in Latin America, and in the U.S.A.”

Wake services were held on March 4, 2026 in the Holy Spirit Chapel and the Queen of Apostles Chapel at the Maryknoll Society Center. Mass of Christian Burial followed at 11:00 a.m. and was concelebrated in the Queen of Apostles Chapel. Father Raymond Finch was the Celebrant and homilist. Brother John Blazo read the biography and Brother Brendan Corkery read the Oath. Burial followed in the Maryknoll Society Cemetery with Father Raymond Finch presiding at the graveside prayers.