Father Leto celebrates 70 years of priesthood

May 15, 2024

On a Saturday morning in May in 1954, six men were ordained priests by Bishop Edward C. Daly, OP, at St. Ambrose Cathedral. Father Nelo Leto was among them.

On May 15, Father Nelo Leto celebrated his 70th anniversary of priesthood. To double the celebration, Father Leto will turn 95 on May 19.

Father Leto, the fifth of seven children, was born in 1929. He had a sister born just 15 months before him who became a religious woman, Humility Sister Mary Anne Leto. 

His parents, Ignazio and Josephine (Collo) Leto, emigrated from Italy. Father Leto grew a passion for cooking Italian meals for family and friends, said his niece Mary Treanor. 

“He loves his family and their unwavering faith in God,” she said.

He attended St. Anthony Catholic School, Dowling High School and Conception Seminary in Conception, Missouri. He was ordained with Fathers Daniel Clark, Michael Churchman, John Lorenz, John Nemmers, and Jerome Schnitker. Father Leto is known for his carpentry skill and work with refurbishing statues.

“He was always a handyman in that regard,” said his cousin, Father Frank Palmer.  

Monsignor Larry Beeson agreed.

“There were many plaster statues where a hand was broken off or a finger and he repaired it,” he said.

Father Leto is a selfless person, said Msgr. Beeson.

“My mother died the year I was ordained in 1960. She died of cancer,” he said. He offered to hear her confession but she declined. Father Leto came and heard her final confession.

“I was always so thankful to him for doing that,” said Msgr. Beeson.

Father Leto served the people of central and southwest Iowa for 45 years before retiring. 

“Throughout the years, he never lost his sense of humor and is a very strong-willed person who walks through life by living in the light of God,” said Treanor.

His assignments have included: Christ the King, St. Ambrose Cathedral, Basilica of St. John, Visitation (now Our Lady of the Americas) and St. Anthony in Des Moines.

He also served: Ss. Peter & Paul in Atlantic, Assumption in Granger, St. Patrick in Perry, St. Patrick in Lenox, St. Mary in Guthrie Center, St. Cecilia in Panora, St. Ann in Woodward, St. Clare in Clarinda, Sacred Heart in Bedford, St. John in Greenfield, St. Mark in Orient, St. Peter in Defiance, St. Joseph in Earling, and St. Elizabeth Seton in Carlisle.   

In addition to his care of the faithful in parishes, Father Leto is known as the founder and first director of Catholic Youth Camp, based at the St. Thomas More Center in Panora, IA. 

He retired on July 8, 1999, and continued to serve the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and Mercy Hospital as a chaplain until 2011.  

Father Leto currently lives at the Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston, IA.