Today, we remember Blessed  Fr. Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R, born in Bavaria, but associated with the United States – he joined the Redemptorists especially to minister to immigrants in this country.

Blessed Francis attended seminary and was ordained in Baltimore. He ministered in Maryland, Pittsburgh and Detroit – and was in fact proposed as Bishop of Pittsburgh, but wrote to the Pope, begging that his name be withdrawn from consideration. He preferred the life of an itinerary preacher – something at which the Redemptorists excelled during this period. They were well-known for their missions.

He moved to New Orleans, where he ministered for only about a year before he was struck down by yellow fever, as were so many. His tomb is in the church of St. Mary’s Assumption in New Orleans, and he was beatified on April 9, 2000 in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.