Fr. Leopold Moczygemba was born October 18, 1824 in Pluznica Wielka, Silesia to Leopold and Ewa (Krawietz) Moczygemba. He was baptized the same day. (Sw. Stanislawa, Baptism Record, p. 149, entry #41).  He attended elementary school in Gliwice, Silesia and later trained at the Conventual Franciscan Seminary in Italy where on July 25, 1847, he was ordained a priest.  After his ordination, Fr. Leopold continued his studies in Oggersheim, Germany where in 1852 he met Bp. J. M. Odin, the first Bishop of Galveston, and accepted his invitation to minister to German-speaking Catholics in Texas. 

Recognizing the opportunities available in Texas, he wrote letters to his relatives in Silesia encouraging them to come to Texas.  In December 1854, a large group of Silesians did indeed come to Texas and established the community of Panna Maria, recognized as the oldest Polish settlement in the United States.

From 1856-1858, Fr. Leopold served as the Superior of the Franciscan Minor Conventual Missionaries in Texas.  In the summer of 1858, he made a trip to Rome to secure more helpers for the Texas missions.  He returned in November 1858, as the first Commissary General of the Conventual Franciscans in the United States and served in this position until 1866.  Upon his return to America, he remained in New York at the request of Bishop John McCloskey, first Ordinary of the New Albany Diocese and later the first American cardinal.  In March 1859, at the suggestion of the bishop, Father Moczygemba took over the care of two German Catholic parishes in Syracuse and Utica along with several missions in other areas. 

In the fall of 1869, heeding the appeal for special confessors for St. Peter's Basilica, he went to Rome.  He stayed in Rome for one year, it was the year of the First Vatican Council.  In September 1870, in order to help his widowed mother and his four brothers in Texas, Fr. Leopold obtained permission from the Holy See to live outside the jurisdiction of the Franciscan Order.  Returning to the United States, he worked tirelessly building churches, schools, and ministering to people in several languages. 

The growing number of Poles in the United States gained his interest and moved him in yet another direction.  By reason of his experience and the knowledge of the American condition, he presided as Chairman at the first Polish Convention in the United States.  In 1874, he visited Panna Maria, Texas, and was "overjoyed with the progress made" (Fr. Vincent Barzynski, C.R.) since his departure nearly 20 years earlier.  In June 1875, during the third annual Polish Roman Catholic Union Convention at Milwaukee, he was elected second president of the organization.  In July 1878, he returned to Rome and submitted two petitions to Pope Leo XIII - one in Latin, the other in Italian, asking for permission to establish a college for the expanding Polish population in the United States.  His petitions were granted at the Vatican on January 14, 1879.

Early in June 1879, in a personal petition, he asked the Sacred Congregation of Bishops for permission to leave the Franciscan Order and join the Resurrectionist Congregation, a religious community founded by Polish immigrants in 1842.  Pope Leo XIII granted the request in a private audience with the Franciscan Superior General on June 21, 1879.  At the time, Fr. Leopold Moczygemba was 55 years old and after six months of novitiate, he returned to America as a member of the Congregation of the Resurrection. 

In 1884, his dream to establish an institution of higher learning for Slavs and specifically Polish priests in America came to a realization.  Together with his friend from Rome, and now a priest in Detroit, Rev. Joseph Dabrowski, he presented his long-cherished project, approved by Pope Leo XIII, to the Ordinary Bishop of Detroit, who on March 14, 1884, gave episcopal permission for "establishing a college in the city of Detroit for the education and spiritual training of Polish young men who have a vocation for the priesthood."  The seminary was placed under the patronage of Saints Cyril and Methodius.  In December 1886, the seminary opened its doors for the first students. 

1824 - October 18, is born in Pluznica Wielka, Silesia to Leopold and Ewa (Krawietz) Moczygemba.

1843 - November 17, Leopold receives Franciscan habit in Osimo, Italy

1847 - July 25, is ordained a Conventual Franciscan priest in Pesaro, Italy.

1848 - July 25, is sent to Wurzburg, Bavaria for future studies.

1852 - February 17, Bishop J.M. Odin, the first Bishop of Galveston, while visiting Munich, Bavaria invites Father Leopold and other Franciscans to minister to German-speaking Catholics in Texas.

1852- September 1, Fr. Leopold, in the company of four other Franciscans, arrives in Galveston, Texas and begins to serve in New Braunfels, Castroville, Fredericksburg and surrounding areas.

1854 - In December, a large group of relatives and neighbors of Father Leopold arrive in Texas and establish the community of Panna Maria, recognized as the oldest Polish settlement in the United States.

1856-58 - Father Leopold serves as a Superior of the Friars Minor Conventual Missionaries in Texas.

1858 - summer, Fr. Leopold makes a trip to Rome to secure more helpers for Texas missions.

1858 - November, Fr. Moczygemba returns to the United States as the first Commissary General of the Conventual Franciscans in the U.S.  He serves in the position until 1866.

1858 - After returning from Rome, at the request of Bishop John McCloskey, the first Ordinary of the New Albany Diocese and later the first American Cardinal, Fr. Leopold remains in New York.

1859 - March, at the suggestion of Bishop McCloskey, Fr. Moczygemba takes over the care of two German Catholic parishes in Syracuse and Utica along with several missions in other areas.

1869 - in the Fall, heeding the appeal for special confessors for St. Peter's Basilica, he goes to Rome and stays for one year.  This was the year of the First Vatican Council.

1870 - in September, to help his widowed mother and four brothers in Texas, Fr. Leopold obtains permission from the Holy See to live outside the jurisdiction of the Franciscan Order.  Returning to the United States, he works tirelessly building churches, schools, and ministering to people in several languages.

1874 - He visits Panna Maria, Texas after a 20 year absence and is "overjoyed with progress made" (Fr. Vincent Barzynski, C.R.).

1875 - in June, at the Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he is elected second president of the Polish Roman Catholic Union.

1878 - in July, he returns to Rome and petitions Pope Leo XIII to establish a college for the growing Polish population in the United States.  He presents two petitions, one written in Latin, the other in Italian.

1879 - January 14, his petitions to establish a college for Polish immigrants is granted.

1879 - in June, he asks the Sacred Congregation of Bishops for permission to leave the Franciscan Order and join the Congregation of the Resurrection, a religious community founded by Polish immigrants in 1842.

1879 - June 21, in a private audience, in the presence of the Franciscan Superior General, Pope Leo XIII grants the request to Fr. Leopold to join the Resurrectionist Fathers.  At the time, he is 55 years old.

1884 - March 14, together with his friend from Rome, and now a priest in Detroit, Rev. Joseph Dabrowski, he presents his long-cherished project, approved by Pope Leo XIII, to the Ordinary Bishop of Detroit.  The episcopal permission is granted for establishing a college for education and spiritual training of Polish young men who have a vocation for the priesthood.  The school was placed under the patronage of SS. Cyril and Methodius.

1886 - in December, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, popularly known then as the Polish Seminary, opens its doors to the first students.

1887 - in October, for reasons not fully divulged, Fr. Moczygemba is released from the jurisdiction of the Congregation of the Resurrection and is restored to his former Franciscan status.

1888 - in May, he asks Rome for perpetual secularization on the grounds of poor health. 

1888 - May15, his request to leave the Conventual Franciscans is granted and he becomes a diocesan priest with no obligations toward any religious order.  He never stopped working.

1891 - February 23, he dies at Dearborn, Michigan at the age of 65 and is buried two days later at Mount Elliott Cemetery in Detroit.