Saint Benedict Education Foundation Hosts Noted Liturgical Scholar: Bishop J. Peter Sartain

The Saint Benedict Education Foundation will host a lecture by Bishop J. Peter Sartain on Friday, October 29, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fred M. Rogers Center on the campus of Saint Vincent College.

The Most Reverend J. Peter Sartain is the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Illi. On September 16, 2010, he was named Metropolitan Archbishop of Seattle by Pope Benedict XVI. Sartain's lecture, which is free and open to the public, will discuss "The Sacred Liturgy and the New Evangelization."

Prior to the lecture, a reception and dinner will offer donors the opportunity to meet and mingle with the Archbishop-elect. For more information about the dinner and reception contact the Saint Benedict Education Foundation at 724-805-2890. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit the students and programs of Sant' Anselmo, the Benedictine College in Rome.

Bishop Sartain is an authority among the American Catholic Bishops on matters of liturgy and sacramental theology. He was born on June 6, 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. On July 15, 1978 he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Memphis. He was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock on January 4, 2000 and was ordained on March 6, 2000. He was named Bishop of Joliet on May 16, 2006, and was installed on June 27, 2006.

Bishop Sartain attended St. Meinrad College in Indiana, studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, and earned a licentiate of sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant Anselmo in Rome in 1979.

In addition to his pastoral experience as a parochial vicar and as a pastor, Bishop Sartain also has considerable administrative experience, having served as Director of Vocations, Chancellor, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar for Clergy, and Vicar General. He has also been a chaplain, academic dean for the permanent diaconate formation program, and a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation.

He currently is a member of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Saint Benedict Education Foundation, located on the campus of Saint Vincent College, is charged with raising funds to assist Sant' Anselmo, the only Pontifical University in Rome operated by Benedictine monks. Established by Pope Leo XIII in 1887, it is the focal point for Benedictine education in Rome and offers degrees in theology, philosophy, and liturgy. Sant' Anselmo has contributed significantly to the life of the Universal Church through its continuing work on the Liturgy of the Church as well as the education of Church leaders.

The Saint Benedict Education Foundation was organized in May 2006 at the direction of the Abbot Primate of the worldwide Benedictine Confederation to expand and continue fundraising efforts to assist Sant' Anselmo. The Foundation has initiated the Abbot Anscar Vonier Chair in Eucharistic Theology, the Cardinal Mayer Chair in Sacramental Theology, and the Saint Scholastica Scholarship for Benedictine Women, and has raised funds to assist Sant' Anselmo and its students.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To make reservations for the lecture only, call 724-532-5030. For more information about the dinner or the Saint Benedict Education Foundation, contact the Foundation at 724-805-2890.

Saints Simon and Jude

However meagre in details is the history of these glorious apostles, we learn from their brief legend how amply they contributed to this great work of generating sons of God. Without any repose, and even to the shedding of their blood, they "edified the body of Christ"; and the grateful Church thus prays to our Lord today: "O God, through the work of the apostles you have spoken your Word of love, your Son, into our world's deafness. Open our ears to hear; open our hearts to heed; open our will to obey, that we may proclaim the good news with our lives."

St. Simon is represented in art with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. St. Jude's square points him out as an architect of the house of God. St. Paul called himself by this name; and St. Jude, by his Catholic Epistle, has also a special right to be reckoned among our Lord's principal workmen. But our apostle had another nobility, far surpassing all earthly titles: being nephew, by his father Cleophas or Alpheus, to St. Joseph, and legal cousin to the Man-God, Jude was one of those called by their compatriots the brethren of the carpenter's Son. We may gather from St. John's Gospel another precious detail concerning him. In the admirable discourse at the close of the last Supper, our Lord said: "He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." Then Jude asked Him: "Lord, how is it, that Thou wilt manifest Thyself to us, and not to the world?" And he received from Jesus this reply: "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My word. And the word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me."

The churches of St. Peter in Rome and Saint-Sernin at Toulouse dispute the honor of possessing the greater part of their holy remains.

Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Monk Art Show at St. Vincent

Artisans of the Monastery Exhibit October 21 to November 6 at Saint Vincent Gristmill

Saint Vincent Gristmill Museum, Beatty Road, Unity Township, will host an exhibit, “Artisans of the Monastery,” October 21 through November 6. The show will feature multimedia art by monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey. 

The exhibit will feature artwork including painting, stained glass, hand weaving, calligraphy and bookbinding. Among those participating are Father Sebastian Samay, O.S.B., Father Thomas More Sikora, O.S.B., Brother Mark Floreanini, O.S.B., Brother Michael Antonacci, O.S.B., Brother Albert Gahr, O.S.B., and Brother Isaac Hayweiser, O.S.B.

Their pieces, along with others by monks of Saint Vincent Monastery, will be on display. Some items will be for sale.

Father Sebastian A. Samay, O.S.B., a native of Pécöl, Hungary is the coordinator of Formation Programs at Saint Vincent Archabbey and professor emeritus at Saint Vincent College. Father Sebastian will be exhibiting weavings.

Father Thomas More Sikora, O.S.B., of Avonmore, is a weaver and the assistant director of the Saint Vincent Gristmill and Gristmill General Store. Father Thomas is also director of the Monastery Artisans.

Brother Mark Floreanini, O.S.B., of Alliance, Ohio, earned a master of fine arts degree from the Savannah College of Arts and Designs, and was appointed to the Saint Vincent College faculty in 2005. Brother Mark creates stained glass windows, paints, and does various other forms of art for Monastery Artisans, including spinning wool and crocheting.

Brother Michael Antonacci, O.S.B., of Jeanette, is assistant miller at the Saint Vincent Gristmill, and a teaching assistant for the Saint Vincent College Physics. Brother Michael works in a variety of mediums including weaving, calligraphy and bookbinding.

Brother Albert Gahr,O.S.B., of Kersey, is socius of novices and a teaching assistant in the Biology Department of Saint Vincent College. Brother Albert will be exhibiting weavings and bookbinding.

Brother Isaac Haywiser, O.S.B., of Bethel Park, is assistant to the manager, Gristmill General Store; assistant, summer retreat program; and assistant director, Archabbey guests and guest facilities. His work in stained glass will be shown.

"For Us God Is Not Some Abstract Hypothesis"

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 18, 2010 (Zenit.org).- This is the letter Benedict XVI wrote to seminarians on the occasion of the end of the Year for Priests, which ended in June. The letter is dated Oct. 18, the feast of Luke the Evangelist.


Dear Seminarians,

When in December 1944 I was drafted for military service, the company commander asked each of us what we planned to do in the future. I answered that I wanted to become a Catholic priest. The lieutenant replied: "Then you ought to look for something else. In the new Germany priests are no longer needed". I knew that this "new Germany" was already coming to an end, and that, after the enormous devastation which that madness had brought upon the country, priests would be needed more than ever. Today the situation is completely changed. In different ways, though, many people nowadays also think that the Catholic priesthood is not a "job" for the future, but one that belongs more to the past. You, dear friends, have decided to enter the seminary and to prepare for priestly ministry in the Catholic Church in spite of such opinions and objections. You have done a good thing. Because people will always have need of God, even in an age marked by technical mastery of the world and globalization: they will always need the God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, the God who gathers us together in the universal Church in order to learn with him and through him life’s true meaning and in order to uphold and apply the standards of true humanity. Where people no longer perceive God, life grows empty; nothing is ever enough. People then seek escape in euphoria and violence; these are the very things that increasingly threaten young people. God is alive. He has created every one of us and he knows us all. He is so great that he has time for the little things in our lives: "Every hair of your head is numbered". God is alive, and he needs people to serve him and bring him to others. It does makes sense to become a priest: the world needs priests, pastors, today, tomorrow and always, until the end of time.

The seminary is a community journeying towards priestly ministry. I have said something very important here: one does not become a priest on one’s own. The "community of disciples" is essential, the fellowship of those who desire to serve the greater Church. In this letter I would like to point out – thinking back to my own time in the seminary – several elements which I consider important for these years of your journeying.

1. Anyone who wishes to become a priest must be first and foremost a "man of God", to use the expression of Saint Paul (1 Tim 6:11). For us God is not some abstract hypothesis; he is not some stranger who left the scene after the "big bang". God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. In the face of Jesus Christ we see the face of God. In his words we hear God himself speaking to us. It follows that the most important thing in our path towards priesthood and during the whole of our priestly lives is our personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. The priest is not the leader of a sort of association whose membership he tries to maintain and expand. He is God’s messenger to his people. He wants to lead them to God and in this way to foster authentic communion between all men and women. That is why it is so important, dear friends, that you learn to live in constant intimacy with God. When the Lord tells us to "pray constantly", he is obviously not asking us to recite endless prayers, but urging us never to lose our inner closeness to God. Praying means growing in this intimacy. So it is important that our day should begin and end with prayer; that we listen to God as the Scriptures are read; that we share with him our desires and our hopes, our joys and our troubles, our failures and our thanks for all his blessings, and thus keep him ever before us as the point of reference for our lives. In this way we grow aware of our failings and learn to improve, but we also come to appreciate all the beauty and goodness which we daily take for granted and so we grow in gratitude. With gratitude comes joy for the fact that God is close to us and that we can serve him.

2. For us God is not simply Word. In the sacraments he gives himself to us in person, through physical realities. At the heart of our relationship with God and our way of life is the Eucharist. Celebrating it devoutly, and thus encountering Christ personally, should be the centre of all our days. In Saint Cyprian’s interpretation of the Gospel prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread", he says among other things that "our" bread – the bread which we receive as Christians in the Church – is the Eucharistic Lord himself. In this petition of the Our Father, then, we pray that he may daily give us "our" bread; and that it may always nourish our lives; that the Risen Christ, who gives himself to us in the Eucharist, may truly shape the whole of our lives by the radiance of his divine love. The proper celebration of the Eucharist involves knowing, understanding and loving the Church’s liturgy in its concrete form. In the liturgy we pray with the faithful of every age – the past, the present and the future are joined in one great chorus of prayer. As I can state from personal experience, it is inspiring to learn how it all developed, what a great experience of faith is reflected in the structure of the Mass, and how it has been shaped by the prayer of many generations.

3. The sacrament of Penance is also important. It teaches me to see myself as God sees me, and it forces me to be honest with myself. It leads me to humility. The Curé of Ars once said: "You think it makes no sense to be absolved today, because you know that tomorrow you will commit the same sins over again. Yet," he continues, "God instantly forgets tomorrow’s sins in order to give you his grace today." Even when we have to struggle continually with the same failings, it is important to resist the coarsening of our souls and the indifference which would simply accept that this is the way we are. It is important to keep pressing forward, without scrupulosity, in the grateful awareness that God forgives us ever anew – yet also without the indifference that might lead us to abandon altogether the struggle for holiness and self-improvement. Moreover, by letting myself be forgiven, I learn to forgive others. In recognizing my own weakness, I grow more tolerant and understanding of the failings of my neighbour.

4. I urge you to retain an appreciation for popular piety, which is different in every culture yet always remains very similar, for the human heart is ultimately one and the same. Certainly, popular piety tends towards the irrational, and can at times be somewhat superficial. Yet it would be quite wrong to dismiss it. Through that piety, the faith has entered human hearts and become part of the common patrimony of sentiments and customs, shaping the life and emotions of the community. Popular piety is thus one of the Church’s great treasures. The faith has taken on flesh and blood. Certainly popular piety always needs to be purified and refocused, yet it is worthy of our love and it truly makes us into the "People of God".

5. Above all, your time in the seminary is also a time of study. The Christian faith has an essentially rational and intellectual dimension. Were it to lack that dimension, it would not be itself. Paul speaks of a "standard of teaching" to which we were entrusted in Baptism (Rom 6:17). All of you know the words of Saint Peter which the medieval theologians saw as the justification for a rational and scientific theology: "Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an ‘accounting’ (logos) for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15). Learning how to make such a defence is one of the primary responsibilities of your years in the seminary. I can only plead with you: Be committed to your studies! Take advantage of your years of study! You will not regret it. Certainly, the subjects which you are studying can often seem far removed from the practice of the Christian life and the pastoral ministry. Yet it is completely mistaken to start questioning their practical value by asking: Will this be helpful to me in the future? Will it be practically or pastorally useful? The point is not simply to learn evidently useful things, but to understand and appreciate the internal structure of the faith as a whole, so that it can become a response to people’s questions, which on the surface change from one generation to another yet ultimately remain the same. For this reason it is important to move beyond the changing questions of the moment in order to grasp the real questions, and so to understand how the answers are real answers. It is important to have a thorough knowledge of sacred Scripture as a whole, in its unity as the Old and the New Testaments: the shaping of texts, their literary characteristics, the process by which they came to form the canon of sacred books, their dynamic inner unity, a unity which may not be immediately apparent but which in fact gives the individual texts their full meaning. It is important to be familiar with the Fathers and the great Councils in which the Church appropriated, through faith-filled reflection, the essential statements of Scripture. I could easily go on. What we call dogmatic theology is the understanding of the individual contents of the faith in their unity, indeed, in their ultimate simplicity: each single element is, in the end, only an unfolding of our faith in the one God who has revealed himself to us and continues to do so. I do not need to point out the importance of knowing the essential issues of moral theology and Catholic social teaching. The importance nowadays of ecumenical theology, and of a knowledge of the different Christian communities, is obvious; as is the need for a basic introduction to the great religions, to say nothing of philosophy: the understanding of that human process of questioning and searching to which faith seeks to respond. But you should also learn to understand and – dare I say it – to love canon law, appreciating how necessary it is and valuing its practical applications: a society without law would be a society without rights. Law is the condition of love. I will not go on with this list, but I simply say once more: love the study of theology and carry it out in the clear realization that theology is anchored in the living community of the Church, which, with her authority, is not the antithesis of theological science but its presupposition. Cut off from the believing Church, theology would cease to be itself and instead it would become a medley of different disciplines lacking inner unity.

6. Your years in the seminary should also be a time of growth towards human maturity. It is important for the priest, who is called to accompany others through the journey of life up to the threshold of death, to have the right balance of heart and mind, reason and feeling, body and soul, and to be humanly integrated. To the theological virtues the Christian tradition has always joined the cardinal virtues derived from human experience and philosophy, and, more generally, from the sound ethical tradition of humanity. Paul makes this point this very clearly to the Philippians: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (4:8). This also involves the integration of sexuality into the whole personality. Sexuality is a gift of the Creator yet it is also a task which relates to a person’s growth towards human maturity. When it is not integrated within the person, sexuality becomes banal and destructive. Today we can see many examples of this in our society. Recently we have seen with great dismay that some priests disfigured their ministry by sexually abusing children and young people. Instead of guiding people to greater human maturity and setting them an example, their abusive behaviour caused great damage for which we feel profound shame and regret. As a result of all this, many people, perhaps even some of you, might ask whether it is good to become a priest; whether the choice of celibacy makes any sense as a truly human way of life. Yet even the most reprehensible abuse cannot discredit the priestly mission, which remains great and pure. Thank God, all of us know exemplary priests, men shaped by their faith, who bear witness that one can attain to an authentic, pure and mature humanity in this state and specifically in the life of celibacy. Admittedly, what has happened should make us all the more watchful and attentive, precisely in order to examine ourselves earnestly, before God, as we make our way towards priesthood, so as to understand whether this is his will for me. It is the responsibility of your confessor and your superiors to accompany you and help you along this path of discernment. It is an essential part of your journey to practise the fundamental human virtues, with your gaze fixed on the God who has revealed himself in Christ, and to let yourselves be purified by him ever anew.

7. The origins of a priestly vocation are nowadays more varied and disparate than in the past. Today the decision to become a priest often takes shape after one has already entered upon a secular profession. Often it grows within the Communities, particularly within the Movements, which favour a communal encounter with Christ and his Church, spiritual experiences and joy in the service of the faith. It also matures in very personal encounters with the nobility and the wretchedness of human existence. As a result, candidates for the priesthood often live on very different spiritual continents. It can be difficult to recognize the common elements of one’s future mandate and its spiritual path. For this very reason, the seminary is important as a community which advances above and beyond differences of spirituality. The Movements are a magnificent thing. You know how much I esteem them and love them as a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. Yet they must be evaluated by their openness to what is truly Catholic, to the life of the whole Church of Christ, which for all her variety still remains one. The seminary is a time when you learn with one another and from one another. In community life, which can at times be difficult, you should learn generosity and tolerance, not only bearing with, but also enriching one another, so that each of you will be able to contribute his own gifts to the whole, even as all serve the same Church, the same Lord. This school of tolerance, indeed, of mutual acceptance and mutual understanding in the unity of Christ’s Body, is an important part of your years in the seminary.

Dear seminarians, with these few lines I have wanted to let you know how often I think of you, especially in these difficult times, and how close I am to you in prayer. Please pray for me, that I may exercise my ministry well, as long as the Lord may wish. I entrust your journey of preparation for priesthood to the maternal protection of Mary Most Holy, whose home was a school of goodness and of grace. May Almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

From the Vatican, 18 October 2010, the Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist.

Yours devotedly in the Lord,

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Archbishop Wuerl named cardinal

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

By Timothy McNulty, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., well known as the former bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, has been selected by Pope Benedict XVI to join the College of Cardinals.

Cardinal-designate Wuerl, 69, will serve as an advisor to the Pope and will be eligible to vote in a Papal election until his 80th birthday. A consistory to formally elevate the new Cardinals will be held Nov. 20 at the Vatican. A Mass with the Pope will be held the following day.

"This truly is an honor for the Archdiocese of Washington, the Church in the nation's capital, and for all of the clergy, religious and parishioners of this local Church who every day live out their faith in commitment and deep love for Christ," Cardinal-designate Wuerl said. "I am humbled by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI's trust in me as shepherd of this flock and pledge to him my renewed fidelity, affection and loyalty."

Cardinal-designate Wuerl became the leader of the Archdiocese of Washington on June 22, 2006, after 18 years as the Bishop of Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh native was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 17, 1966, and ordained a bishop by Pope John Paul II on Jan. 6, 1986 in Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome.

In Pittsburgh today, his successor, Bishop David Zubik, said "Cardinal-designate Wuerl remains dear to our hearts. Today as our Holy Father honors him, he honors also our priests, religious and laity."

Bishop Zubik said he spoke to Archbishop Wuerl and congratulated him shortly after 6 a.m. today. He will travel to Rome for the Nov. 20-21 ceremonies.

The bishop noted it was the third time a Pittsburgh-native priest was named a Cardinal, following Adam Maida and Daniel DiNardo. Other former Pittsburgh bishops elevated to the College of Cardinals included John Dearden, John Wright and Anthony Bevilacqua.

"Cardinal-designate Wuerl's incredible gifts are well known, far beyond the region of southwestern Pennsylvania," Bishop Zubik said. "Everywhere he has served, the Church has benefitted enormously by his presence," the bishop said.

The Rome festivities will begin with a simple prayer ceremony where the cardinals receive their red hats, the bishop said, and will be followed the next day with a Mass where the Pope places rings on the fingers of the new cardinals.

Though named a cardinal, he will continue serving as Archbishop of Washington. His new duties will require more trips to Rome and perhaps performing special projects for the Pope.

Though his name has long been mentioned as a cardinal candidate, his onetime mentor was still shocked, Bishop Zubik said.

"As much as people would speculate, this is a shock to know that it actually did happen. When you think about the importance of the position of being a cardinal in the church --- to be one of the closest advisors of the Pope, and then also because of what is recognized by the public as being the most important part of a cardinal's life, which is to elect a new Pope when a Pope dies -- that's really something, when you consider it's only a little more than 120 who are called to that important role in the Church."

6 New Saints

Monks at Franciscan University - Stuebenville

Members of the St. Vincent "V-Team" will be present at the 2010 Franciscan University - Stuebenville Vocation Fair.

STEUBENVILLE, OH--Franciscan University of Steubenville's Annual Religious Vocation Awareness Day will be held on Friday, October 8, 2010. Nearly 100 religious orders and dioceses will be represented from all over the United States and Europe, making the event one of the largest of its kind.

"This event is a time of great blessing for the campus and an occasion for our students to see first hand the opportunities of religious life in the Church," said Father Rick Martignetti, director of Franciscan University's Pre-Theologate Program.

The day includes the Vocations Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Finnegan Fieldhouse at the center of campus and a Mass for vocations at 12:05 p.m. in Christ the King Chapel, concelebrated by Baltimore Archbishop Edwin O'Brien and Steubenville Bishop R. Daniel Conlon. Archbishop O'Brien will also deliver an address on the priesthood at 7:30 p.m. in Christ the King Chapel on October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Orders attending the vocations fair in Finnegan Fieldhouse will include the Third Order Regular (TOR) Franciscans who operate Franciscan University, Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, the Benedictines, Carmelites, and Dominicans. The Archdioceses of Philadelphia, Chicago, and the Military Services will also be among the participants.

Saint Bruno

Bruno was born in Cologne around 1030. He was still a youth when he was sent to Rheims, in France, to study at one of the most reputed universities in Europe. After completion of his studies, he started teaching at that university. In 1056, Archbishop Gervais chose him to be the Rector of the "schools" of Rheims; he held the office of Rector of studies for 20 years. Towards the end of 1076, Bruno chose exile because of the conflict between Manasses of Gournay, the archbishop of Rheims, and several important institutes of the city, including the Benedictine monastery of Saint Remi. On December 27, 1080, Gregory VII had to resolve to ask the clergy of Rheims to drive the corrupt archbishop away and to elect a new one. Bruno was chosen for this post of high responsibility and power, one of the highest ecclesiastical positions in the kingdom of France. But he had other plans. He had decided to follow Christ to the desert. It is only around the Feast of St John-Baptist, approximately on June 24, that he and six companions reached the far end of the desert of Chartreuse, under the guidance of Hugh, the young bishop of Grenoble. For six years, Bruno was able to enjoy the life he had chosen with his brothers. In the first months of 1090, Urban II, a former student of his, summoned him to Rome to help him in the service of the Church, but just a few months later, Bruno obtained the Pope's permission to return to eremitic life, provided that he would establish his hermitage in southern Italy, then under the rule of the Norman princes. Bruno chose a vast desert in the diocese of Squillace : Santa Maria della Torre. This is where he died, on October 6. 1101. From there he wrote two letters full of tender love which have been inspiring Carthusians for nine centuries. Bruno was beatified by Pope Leo X in 1514.

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R

From: http://papastronsaytexts.blogspot.com/

Blessed Francis Xavier was born at Füssen, Bavaria, Germany on January 11, 1819 and was baptized the same day in the parish church of St. Mang. According to his own testimony, he received the first impulses for virtue and piety from his truly Christian mother. The years of his studies, which he began in 1842 at Augsburg and Munich, he passed without the slightest blemish. His great love of God and ardent desire to promote His glory and the salvation of souls led him first into the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer into which he was received on 22 November, 1842, and then to apply for the American Mission. He left Europe via Le Havre, and arrived in New York, on 18 April, 1843 (some sources say 20 April). He completed his novitiate in Baltimore, was professed on 16 May, 1844, finished his studies, and was ordained on 22 December, of the same year in the Redemptorist Church of St. James in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Until May, 1845, he was attached to the community of St. James, where he already gave proofs of truly apostolic zeal. In the confessional he was indefatigable, winning the hearts of sinners by his extraordinary affability and kindness. In the pulpit, and particularly when giving catechetical instructions, his language was so persuasive, so full of heavenly unction, that his hearers never failed to derive spiritual profit. Such was the effect of his public discourses all through life.

In May, 1845, he was transferred to Pittsburgh where his Superior was Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, afterward Bishop of Philadelphia. Besides F. Seelos, Rev. Joseph Mueller was then stationed at Pittsburghh. These three men were such, that the Bishop, Right Rev. M. O Connor, used to call them “The three saints of St. Philomena’s.” Later Bl. Francis Xavier would say of Saint John Nepomucene that he had introduced him to the active side of religious life and had been his spiritual father.

In 1847, Father Seelos was placed in charge of the novices. In 1851, he was made Rector of that community. During the nine years that Father Seelos laboured in Pittsburgh, he acquired the reputation of a saint, a reputation which rendered his name immortal, and with that of Father Neumann's left a kind of sacred prestige in that place. He became well known as an expert confessor and spiritual director, so much so that people came to him even from neighbouring towns. But his greatest joy was to instruct little children in the Faith.

From Pittsburgh, Father Seelos was transferred in 1854 as Rector to St. Alphonsus, Baltimore, where from over-exertion in 1857, he fell sick. After a short stay at Cumberland and then Annapolis he was appointed spiritual Prefect of the professed Students. The years of his prefecture may be considered the most important of his whole life. By word and example, he preached to the young men the spirit of self-denial and prayer, the love of study and true apostolic zeal. Most of his pupils imbibed under such a director that spirit which ever afterward made them staunch Redemptorists. During the Civil War, Blessed Seelos relocated his seminarians to Annapolis in 1862. He visited President Abraham Lincoln in an effort to exempt seminarians from the draft. Because only priests could be exempt, Blessed Seelos arranged for Archbishop Francis Patrick Kenrick to ordain all 20 seminarians. In 1860, Father Seelos’ name was proposed for the episcopal see of Pittsburgh, but his humility succeeded in averting a blow which seemed to him the greatest misfortune that could befall him through a dispensation conferred by Blessed Pius IX.

From 1862 he was to devote himself to the work of giving Missions and retreats. In that sphere he again won the reputation of sanctity wherever he appeared preaching in English and German in the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. The Faithful, as well as the clergy in general admired his heroism, and proclaimed him the saint among the missionaries. No wonder that God’s blessing accompanied him wherever he went.

In 1866, after being attached for a short time to the Detroit monastery, he was transferred to New Orleans. He arrived there in September, 1866, and it was not long before his name became a household word among the Faithful of the three churches under the Redemptorists’ charge. From far and near, people of every class and condition, rich and poor, old and young, learned and unlearnd, men and women, came to make their confession, particularly general confessions, to that saintly priest. He was looked upon as a heaven-sent physician for the cure of every spiritual ill. But Fr. Seelos earthly career was soon to be terminated.

On 17 September, 1867, he took the yellow fever which he had contracted through his pastoral visits to those suffering from the disease and, notwithstanding the most tender care lavished upon him, and the numerous prayers and offerings made for him, his life was not spared.

Cheerful and contented as ever, he looked forward to his eternal reward. He died, while the brethren around his bed were singing, at his request, one of his favourite hymns to Our Blessed Lady on 4 October, 1867. He was 48 years old.

Father Francis Xavier Seelos was beatified on 9 April, 2000, and his Feast was established on 5 October. His precious relics repose in his shrine at St Mary’s Church, New Orleans. †

Deus, qui ad nuntianda redemptionis mysteria,
et ad maerentes sublevandos,
beatum Franciscum Xaverium presbyterum,
eximia caritate decorasti,
eius intercessione concede,
ut diligenter ad tuam gloriam
hominumque salutem operemur.
Per Dominum.

O God, who made your priest, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos,
outstanding in love,
that he might proclaim the mysteries of redemption,
and comfort those in affliction,
grant, by his intercession,
that we may work zealously for your glory
and for the salvation of mankind,
Through our Lord.

Prayer of St. Francis

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, harmony.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sorrow, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."