Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
German-born Redemptorist priest who served many American parishes and died of yellow fever
- Rank
- Blessed
- Kind
- Priest, Missionary
- Life
- 1819 – 1867
- Era
- 19th century
- Feast
- 5 October
- Countries
- Germany, United States
Life story
Francis Xavier Seelos was born on 11 January 1819 at Fussen in the Kingdom of Bavaria. He took vows as a Redemptorist and was ordained a priest on 22 December 1844 at St James Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
He served in many places in the United States as novice master, superior and pastor. From the late 1840s he was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at St Philomena parish. From 1854 he was pastor of St Alphonsus in Baltimore. From April 1857 he was in Cumberland, Maryland, as pastor and prefect of students. In 1862 he was at Annapolis, Maryland; from 1863 he worked as an itinerant missionary preaching in English and German, and in 1866 he was briefly assistant pastor at St Mary's in Detroit, Michigan.
In 1866 he was assigned to the Assumption parish in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he cared for victims of a yellow fever epidemic.
He contracted the disease and died on 4 October 1867 in New Orleans. Pope John Paul II beatified him on 9 April 2000 in St Peter's Square. His feast is 5 October.
Works and witness
- Ordained a Redemptorist priest in Baltimore on 22 December 1844
- Pastor and superior in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cumberland and Annapolis
- Moved to New Orleans in 1866
- Cared for yellow fever victims and died of the disease on 4 October 1867
Saints from the same country
References
- Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province, "Blessed Francis X. Seelos" (redemptorists.net)
- EWTN, "Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos"
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.