Fr. Benedict DeLeon, a native-born priest of the Diocese of Sacramento, is a graduate of Elk Grove High School in Sacramento and attended St. Joseph College Seminary in Mountain View with a baccalaureate degree in Humanities. He then completed his priestly formation at St.Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park and was ordained at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento in 1980.

“The diocese of Sacramento is very vast and diverse,” says Fr.Ben, “and I have had the opportunity to serve in various places in various capacities in our Diocese, serving a great and lovely diversity of people. Along with parish ministries, Father has also served on the committees such as the Priests’ Council, the Priests’ Personnel Board, the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal, and the California conference of Priests’ Councils. From 1993-96 he was the priest representative for the San Francisco province of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils.

Fr. has two brothers and two sisters, the fourth of five children. His mother is still a very active parishioner at Fr’s home parish, St.Paul’s Church in Florin. His father died in 1985. “In my family, being a Catholic wasn’t just something we did at church, going to Mass once a week,” expresses Fr.DeLeon. “Rather, being a Catholic is what we are seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. It’s like the air that we breathe.”

He loves dogs; you might catch “Buck,” a black German Shepherd, tagging along side of him around the Church grounds. He also has his own trolling boat. “I usually wait until after Labor Day to start fishing,” says Fr.Ben. “There’s a lot less people aound the lakes then. When I was Pastor in Dusnmuir I got to know Siskiyou Lake, McCloud Reservoir and Shasta Lake like the back of my hand. Now I hope to learn the the best trolling points at Oroville Lake!”

Fr. DeLeon passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 18, 2019 at the Priests’ Retirement Village in Citrus Heights. He was 65. 

Father DeLeon was preceded in death by his parents, Benedict and Praxedes DeLeon. He is survived by his brothers Philip DeLeon of Florin and Daniel DeLeon of Sacramento, and sisters Marlene DeLeon of Foxborough, MA, and Dr. Jane de Leon of Wilton, and their spouses, Josie DeLeon, Tom Lucci and Peter Horton. Father DeLeon was the loving uncle to six nephews, four nieces, four great nephews, and two great nieces.