Rev. Edwin D. Leahy, O.S.B.
Rev. Edwin D. Leahy, O.S.B., has been the Headmaster of St. Benedict’s Prep since 1972. A 1963 graduate, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy at Seton Hall University and a Master’s in Divinity with distinction from the Woodstock College at Union Theological Seminary, New York. He became a monk of the Benedictine Abbey of Newark in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1972.
Fr. Edwin began teaching at St. Benedict’s in 1967. When the school closed in 1972, he led efforts along with his brother Monks to reopen it; and in 1973, St. Benedict’s relaunched with 89 students and 14 faculty members. Under his leadership, enrollment grew, drawing more students from Newark and beyond. By 1980, the school served over 200 students, reaffirming its mission to educate young men from low-income backgrounds.
In 2020, Fr. Edwin supported the creation of a Girls Prep Division, expanding St. Benedict’s to include co-ed elementary and middle divisions, and separate boys’ and girls’ high school divisions. Today, the school serves over 900 students, with nearly 100% of graduates attending college.
His work has gained national attention, including a 2016 60 Minutes feature and the 2014 documentary The Rule. He has received honorary doctorates from Rutgers, Saint Peter’s, and St. John’s University and numerous awards, including the 2014 Robert F. Kennedy Award for Urban School Leadership. In 2024, he was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame for Public Service.
Fr. Edwin also serves as President of the Board for the Essex County Schools of Technology.
