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Francis X. Seelos (1819-67)
Born at Füssen, Bavaria, 11 January,
1819; died at New Orleans, La., 4 Oct., 1867. When a child,
asked by his mother what he intended to be, he pointed to the
picture of his patron, St. Francis Xavier, and said: "I'm
going to be another St. Francis." He pursued his studies
in Augsburg and Munich, and entered the Congregation of the
Most Holy Redeemer, offering himself for the American Mission;
he arrived in America on 17 April, 1843.
That following year, 16 May, 1844, he made his religious profession
at the Redemptorist novitiate, Baltimore, and seven months later
he was ordained by Archbishop Eccleston of Baltimore. He was
assigned to St. James, Baltimore. In May 1845, he was sent to
Pittsburg, where he had as superior Ven. John Neumann. In 1851
Father Seelos was appointed superior of the Pittsburg community,
where he laboured untiringly for nine years. His confessional
was constantly besieged by crowds of people of every description
and class. It was said by many that he could read their very
souls. From Pittsburg, he was transferred to St. Alphonsus's,
Baltimore, where he fell dangerously ill. On his recovery he
was appointed prefect (spiritual director) of the professed
students, and he succeeded in winning the love an esteem of
all who were privleged to be under his spiritual guidance. In
1860 his name was proposed for the vacant Holy See of Pittsburg,
but humbly refused the honour. The year 1962 found him again
at mission work. In 1866 he was summoned to Detroit, and in
September of the same year to New Orleans, Louisiana. The cause
of his beatification is in progress.
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