Leopold Stein, a convert to Catholicism, was born in Lwow, Galicja. After having been educated in the same area, he worked as a professor of Latin and mathematics at Lwow University.

Stein made his way to the United States and eventually entered the seminary. After having been ordained to the priesthood in Baltimore, MD in 1896, he began his priestly career by ministering to the Polish community in Cornwall, PA. He then traveled to Buffalo, NY where he served at St. Adalbert Parish. His next assignment was a pastorate at the Church of the Assumption in Albion, NY. During his two –year tenure there, Stein was responsible for erecting a wooden schoolhouse.

In 1908, Stein returned to Buffalo and agreed to serve as first pastor of St. Luke Parish. While there he: built the parish’s first wooden church (and later, the combination structure which still stands today); petitioned the Felician Sisters to staff his new school; and organized two church societies. Poor health caused Ks. Stein to resign his pastorate in 1913.