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Bl. Francis Seelos C.Ss.R. 11. Januar 1819- 4. October 1867 Presentation by Redemptorist Father Byron Miller on Bl. Francis Seelos, C.Ss.R. (1819-1867) saints.sqpn.com/blessed-francis-xavier-seelos One of…More
Bl. Francis Seelos C.Ss.R. 11. Januar 1819- 4. October 1867

Presentation by Redemptorist Father Byron Miller on Bl. Francis Seelos, C.Ss.R. (1819-1867)

saints.sqpn.com/blessed-francis-xavier-seelos
One oftwelvechildrenborn to Mang and Frances Schwarzenbach Seelos; he was named forSaintFrancis Xavier. Hisfatherwas a textilemerchantwho becameparishsacristan. Francis wasConfirmedon3 September1828, and made his firstCommunionon2 April1830. Theboywanted to be apriestfrom an early age, and often claimed he wouldbeanotherFrancis Xavier.
He completed his basicstudies,/a> in Füssen,Germany, and graduated from theInstitute of Saint StepheninAugsburg,Germanyin1839. Received a degree inphilosophyandtheologyfrom theUniversityofMunich, and entered theSaintJeromeseminaryin Dillingen an der Donau,Germanyon19 September1842.
Francis became familiar with theCongregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, and their mission to work with thepoorest, theabandoned, andimmigrants. He joined on22 November1842. Feeling a call to minister toGermanimmigrantstoAmerica, he left theseminaryon9 December1842,sailedfor theAmericaon17 March1843, and arrived in New York on20 April.Ordainedin theRedemptoristChurch of Saint James inBaltimore,Marylandon22 December1844.
Worked nine years atSaintPhilomenaparishinPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, six of those years as assistant pastor to, and spiritual student ofSaintJohn Neumann, and the other three as superior andnovice masterof hisRedemptoristcommunity. Faithful to theRedemptoristteachings, he led a simple life,preacheda simple message, and was always available to those in need. His sermons drew crowds from neighboring towns, there were lines outside hisconfessional, and he never tired of working withchildren. He heardConfessionsin English, German, and French, from black and whites and anyone else with a burden.
Transferred toparishministries inBaltimorein1854, Cumberland,Marylandin1857, and Annapolis,Marylandin1862. Proposed asbishopofPittsburghin1860, but he begged to be excused “from this act ofGod“, and his desire was granted byPopePius IX.
In1863, during the American Civil War, all men were obliged to be available for activemilitaryduty. Seelos, as Superior of theRedemptoristSeminary, met with President Abraham Lincoln, and obtained an agreement not to sendseminariansto the front. Seelos soon after lost his position as Prefect of Students for being “too lenient”.
From1863to1866he lived as an itinerant missionpreacherin both English and German inConnecticut,Illinois,Michigan,Missouri,New Jersey,New York,Ohio,Pennsylvania,Rhode Island, andWisconsin. Hearing of an influx ofGermanimmigrantstoNew Orleans,Louisiana, he pastored aRedemptoristchurch there beginning in1866. He worked with yellowfevervictimsuntil he was taken by theillnessthe next year.
cgambla
OH, how Father Seelos needs us to pray to him for more peace right in our own parishes, and certainly for more dedicated priests such as he. I will pray to you, right now Blessed Seelos, to help St. Patrick Parish revive it's abilities to serve each other and the community, and serve God. Amen. Please also, Blessed Seelos, heal me. Amen.
johnsiple
Remarkable telling of a heroic holyman Redemptorist for the American Church. May his virtue bless us all! ✍️