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US SEELOS PILGRIMAGES 2022
SEELOS PILGRIMS SPEND FINAL EVENING IN FÜSSEN(10 September 2022)
The pilgrims from America travelled to the world renowned Wieskirche after their trip to photograph Neuschwanstein. Missing in action was Father Ric Boever,Executive Director of the National Seelos Shrine in New Orleans. He opted to stay in the Best Western Hotel for the day to recuperate enough for the first Mass of Sunday in St Mang Basilica.
At 1800hrs all the Pilgrims were present in St Mang for the Holy Mass which was celebrated by Father Joshi Sebastian Valikulath who was introduced to Father Rich before Mass.
They returned to their hotel where they sat down for their evening meal at 2000hrs.
Photo Credit- Maria from Spain! From right to left-Father Richard Boever, Executive Director of the National Seelos Shrine in New Orleans, Myke Rosenthal-English runs the Seelos in Füssen website ( seelosinfuessen.de). Dr. Miriam Rosenthal-English responsible for translating the Seelos Novena into German. Michael Porter a Board member of the "Friends of the Shrine of St Peter & Paul, Cumberland" which was built by St John Neumann and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos served a a Priest there for many years!
After the meal they retired to bed for the night before moving on at 0900hrs to Oberammergau to watch the World Famous Passion Play.
SEELOS SITE TOUR FOR THE BRAVE FEW!(10 September 2022)
The weary pilgrims on the "In the Footsteps of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Pilgrimage 2022" awoke in the Best Western Hotel, Füssen on Saturday morning to overcast skies having endured a massive electrical storm overnight.
They were all due to visit the sites in Füssen connected to Blessed Seelos. However as 0800hrs drew near the skies opened and the rain started. Father Rich Boever, Executive Director of the National Seelos Center in New Orleans announced he would be staying in the hotel. This was hardly surprising as he has been treated with chemotherapy and surgery for lung cancer and was finding it a strain to walk to far as he got of of breath quickly.
This then gave the Spanish tour guide Maria the chance to let those who wanted visit the places in the rain to do so, whilst those who didn't want to get wet would be free to do as they please till 1100hrs.
Maria explaining the itinerary for the day to all!
Those brave souls who ventured out with Seelos in Füssen were shown the Seelos Family grave.
They were shown the Franciscan Church and the wonderful view over the old city of Füssen
The pilgrims at the top of the road where Seelos was born just outside the St Sebastian Catholic Cemetery.
They visited the House where Seelos was born.
The Spitalkirche (Hospital Church) where he served and was taught Latin for two years after leaving Primary School
They were then shown the Frau am Berg Kirche (Our Lady of the Mountains Shrine). where Seelos asked his sisters to pray for him.
Next stop was the mural on the Parish Meeting Centre-Seelos Haus.
We continued on to the Krippkirche St Nicholas where Seelos served the 0730hrs Mass before School at 0800hrs.
Finally they were shown the building where Seelos attended Primary School on the 2nd floor.
At 1100hrs the whole group went of in their coach to visit the Marienbrücke so as to be able to take photos of Neuschwanstein Castle.
DIRECTOR OF SEELOS CENTER,NEW ORLEANS, FATHER RICH BOEVER CELEBRATED MASS IN ST MANG BASILICA FÜSSEN (9 September 2022)
A group of 13 pilgrims plus their Spanish tour guide, Maria arrived in Füssen about 1215hrs on Friday 9th September 2022. At 1340hrs they toured the Museum in Füssen.
As with last two pilgrimages by Americans visiting Füssen the weather was rain!
The pilgrims seat themselves in the choir stools of St Mang whilst Father Rich Boever was preparing for Holy Mass in the sacristy.
Father Rich being shown where the Altar is by sacristan Bruno Ehrentreich who gave his time voluntarily to help the pilgrims.
Photo above Copyright Michael Porter
Father Rich giving his sermon about Blessed Seelos.He told those present that they had just seen many violins in the Museum in Füssen Even today violins are made in the town. Seelos learnt to play the violin! He loved playing so much that he often got carried away. Here in Füssen he was called by his second name Xavier and was known for being a very happy person. He decided to become a priest whilst he was studying at the Maximilian Ludwig University in Munich. Father Boever told the pilgrims he did not want to be a Diocesan or local Priest as he felt they were very spoilt and had a rather easy life, so he applied to join the Redemptorist. The problem was post took a very long time to reach America in those days so he joined the Augsburg Diocesan Seminary which was then based in Dillingen,He stayed only a while as the news came back that he had been accepted to join the Redemptorists. So he moved to Altötting where the German Redemptorists had their head quarters at the time. Father mentioned this was one of the places they would be visiting.
St Mary Magdalen Church, Altötting,former German HQ of the Redemptorists.
He mentioned Seelos in Baltimore and also in Pittsburg where he served alongside St John Neumann with just a small room separated by a curtain which they lived in. Father pointed out the all Redemptorist houses on the East Coast of the U.S.A. served former German communities. Seelos was Dean of students in Cumberland and in charge of their formation. He also meet President Lincoln and asked that no Redemptorists would be drafted. Lincoln didn`t promise anything but not one Redemptorist was drafted!
Finally he was posted to New Orleans where he died of Yellow fever and where the National Seelos Shrine if located. Father told the pilgrims just one of the many miracles he had hear about since being posted to the Seelos Center as Director. A woman who was unable to have any children so she laid on what was his former tomb and ended up having 13 children! He asked us all to pray for Blessed Seelos to intercede in our lives and mentioned his own need of Blessed Seelos.He was recently found to have lung cancer and had to have chemotherapy and then surgery to remove the cancer. He is now cancer free according to the doctors treating him. He finished the sermon by saying they have a miracle for canonisation which looks promising but still a lot of prayers needed as Rome wants more information and documents about it!
Father Boever is the Executive Director of the Seelos Shrine in New Orleans and is leading this special pilgrimage to visit all the places connected with Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in Germany. As the pilgrims had had a long day travelling they were only shown the Seelos Shrine here in Füssen as well as the Baptismal Font where Seelos was baptised the day of his birth.
Photo below of Father Rich Boever, Executive Director of the National Seelos Shrine in New Orleans who has recently been treated for lung cancer and is still having to take life slowly as he easily gets out of breath. Your prayers for him would be appreciated.
The pilgrims were all given a second class Seelos relic and Prayer cards before they returned to their hotel or spent the rest of the afternoon shopping depending on how tired they were.
FROM OUR LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS PARISH,CUMBERLAND TO OUR LADY OF THE MOUNTAINS SHRINE,FÜSSEN!(9 September 2022)
Michael Porter lives in West Virginia, USA and is on the board of the "Friends of the Shrine of Saints Peter & Paul" which is a Non-Profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Shrine of Saints Peter & Paul Church, located at 125 Fayette Street, Cumberland, MD. Catholic Church built in 1848. Founded by St. John Neumann & served by Blessed Fr. Seelos. Originally served the German population in the area. It is part of the Our Lady of the Mountains Parish in Cumberland and the friends were formed when the Parish wanted to shut it down! They have managed to get the Bishop to allow them to run the Church at their own expense.
Michael has a great love for Blessed Seelos and when he found out that Father Rich Boever was leading a pilgrimage to Europe to visit all the places connected with the Blessed ,he jumped at the chance to join the pilgrimage. He is in the photo above at the Seelos Shrine in Füssen.
Below Michael is photographed outside the St Sebastian Catholic Cemetery Füssen where the family of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos are buried.
MAGNIFICAT TRAVEL PILGRIMAGE TO FÜSSEN (31 August 2022)
Atrocious weather greeted Father Michael Russo and the 39 pilgrims who travelled to St Mang Basilica to pray to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos on the last day of August 2022.
The American group organised by Magnificat Travel and led by Maria Tregre, Founder of the travel company and travel guide, Oliver, have been on a tour of religious places in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. Today it was the turn of Füssen.
The reason they came to Füssen was to honour Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos who was born in the city on 11th January 1819.
Before Holy Mass, Deacon Ed Boustany asked the pilgrims to give him their Mass intentions, which he then placed on the Altar.
Father Michael Russo, Spiritual Director to the pilgrimage and Parish Priest of St Anne Parish, Youngsville in the Diocese of Lafayette celebrated Mass assisted by Deacon Ed.
Father Michael celebrated the Mass of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and his sermon was also about this great son of Füssen.
He told the pilgrims that Seelos had left his homeland because of love to serve the needs of German emigrants to America.
He asked the congregation "What have we sacrificed? What have we given up?" Father then asked them "Why did you come on this pilgrimage? Was it to enjoy a few days out or was it to find God more in our lives? " Continuing the theme of sacrifice and love he asked them to reflect on "What am I looking for in my life?" He prayed their answer would be, "I want to find you, Lord"
After Mass the pilgrims were shown the font where Blessed Seelos was baptised.
They then visited the Shrine of Blessed Seelos and placed their prayer requests in the box and lit a candle.
Seelos in Füssen then gave Seelos Prayer Cards and Second Class Seelos relics to all the pilgrims thanks to the generosity of Gregg Terrabone of Metairie, Louisianna.
After the Group photo the pilgrims were shown the house in which Seelos lived when his father was sacristan of St Mang.
ALL PHOTOS ON THIS NEWS STORY ARE COPYRIGHT FREE AND CAN BE CLICKED AND DOWNLOAED IN THEIR ORIGIONAL SIZE .if you were on this pilgrimage and have better photos to share please contact us via the contact page and we will get back to you.apologies about how bad they turned out-we discovered a problem with the camera!
TEXAS LATINOS CELEBRATE MASS IN ST MANG IN JOYFUL FASHION!( 13 July 2022)
Rubenena & Roberto who renewed their marriage vows in St Mang Basilica,Füssen, Germany during Holy Mass celebrated by Father Antonio Mena.
A group of 25 Texan Pilgrims of Latinos origin celebrated Holy Mass today in the Choir-stools of St Mang Basilica. The pilgrims were on their rest-day before moving on tomorrow to view the world famous Oberammergau Passion Play. Led by Spanish Tour guide Pila the pilgrims arrived about 1315hrs in the basilica with their Priest Father Antonio Mena, who has served the El Paso Diocese for over 30 years. He is Now Parish Priest of San Felipe De Jesus Parish(Socorro), El Paso, Texas.
The happy couple renew their marriage vows and are blessed by Father Antonio Mena
Father Antonio celebrated the Mass in Spanish and gave his sermon in Spanish & English highlighting the Epistle of the day and its message about following God in humility and not taking advantage of those who live in poverty.
During Holy Mass a couple called Rubenena Maria & Roberto renewed their marriage vows much to the delight and joy of the rest of the congregation!
After the Holy Mass the entire group posed for a group photo and were then given holy pictures and 2nd & 3rd class relics of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos by Seelos in Füssen
Pila Spanish Tour Guide to the Pilgrims
Seelos in Füssen would like to thank the Spanish Tout Guide, Pila, Father Antonio Mena and the entire group of Pilgrims for allowing us to partake in their joyous and deeply moving Holy Mass.
MAGNIFICANT TRAVEL HOUSTON TEXAS PILGRIMS FLOOD INTO FÜSSEN TO HONOUR BLESSED SEELOS(9 July 2022)
A group of 43 joyful and happy pilgrims from St Helen Parish Houston, Texas visited Füssen Saturday 9th July 2022 on a Pilgrimage arranged by Magnificat Travel of Lafayette, Louisiana.
Father Jim Courville celebrated Holy Mass in the choir-stools of St Mang Basilica assisted by Deacon Juan Pagen of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana.
Pilgrims arriving at St Mang Basilica,Füssen
Entering St Mang Basilica
Father Jim Courville,Parish Priest of Sr Helen Catholic Church,Houston, Texas in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Deacon Juan Pagan, Coordinator for the Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Lafayette, waiting to celebrate Holy Mass in the Choirstools of St Mang Basilica
Father Jim Courville spoke about the whole point of the Pilgrimage, to come closer to Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ through a deepening of our understanding of His Passion and crucifixion. Tomorrow the group will watch the world famous Oberammergau Passion Play which starts in the afternoon and has one break during the performance.
The Parish of Füssen had agreed to send a guide to give a tour of the Basilica but they failed to turn up.
The group at the Baptism Font where Seelos was baptised 11th January 1819
Pilgrims from St Helen Catholic Church Houston,Texas outside St Mang Basilica for a group photo
Thanks to quick thinking and forward planning Official Tour Guide Julia Woodwards had arranged with Seelos in Füssen to give the group a tour of the Basilica and Füssen showing all places associated with this "great son of Füssen".
Pilgrims on the Lech Bridge in Füssen,Germany where they took photos of the "Our Lady Of the Mountains Shrine", The St Mang Basilica and Monastery and the Franciscan Church of St Stephan.
Pilgrims outside the house where Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos was born
The pilgrims see the grave of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos`s Mother and Father and his siblings.
The pilgrims having completed their Seelos tour of Füssen get ready to board the bus to Garmisch-Partenkirchen
ALL PHOTOS ON THIS NEWS STORY ARE COPYRIGHT FREE AND CAN BE CLICKED AND DOWNLOAED IN THEIR ORIGIONAL SIZE .if you were on this pilgrimage and have better photos to share please contact us via the contact page and we will get back to you.
US SEELOS PILGRIMAGES 2022
The American Pilgrims standing in front of the Seelos Door to St Mang Basilica, Füssen with Father David in the back row and Tour Guide Carmen qith the official tour flag!
The City of Füssen welcomed Father David, a Priest of the New Orleans Diocese and his group of 27 pilgrims and their Spanish Tour Guide on Saturday 25th June 2022, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On what was a beautiful sunny day the joyous pilgrims had requested to visit Füssen for the sole reason of being able to pray at the Seelos Shrine in St Mang Basilica. The group were mainly from Louisiana where Seelos is a household name to most people! Others on the Pilgrimage were 2 from DC, 2 from Memphis and 2 from San Antonio.
The pilgrims had been in Italy the previous days and had visited Rome & Assisi.
Photos Miriam Rosenthal-English
Having flown from Italy to Munich yesterday and stayed overnight, they were fortunate not encounter any traffic problems on they way to Füssen due to the G7 summit being held at Schloss Elmau near Garmisch Partenkirchen.
The group celebrated Mass before coming to Füssen as they have to move to Garmisch tonight for their meal and overnight stay.
They had Carmen Sánchez Gil as their tour guide. This was her first time bringing a tour group to Füssen. She flew in from her home in Spain to lead the pilgrims and was the one who contacted Seelos in Füssen to give them all a guided tour of the city showing places relevant to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.
The Pilgrims visited Seeloshaus, and the House where Seelos lived when his father was sacristan of St Mang. They saw the Hohes Schloss, the former summer residence of the Prince Bishops of Augsburg. In St Mang Basilica they spent time in prayer in the Baptistry where the font that Seelos was baptised in is still in use today. They also put their prayer requests in at the Shrine itself. After a 30 minute break for refreshments in the city they continued on to see the former Benedictine Monastery, Our Lady of the Mountains Shrine, the Holy Ghost Hospital Chapel. Finally they walked the street where he was born and took photos outside the house he was born in.
So having refreshed their spiritual batteries at the Shrine of Blessed Seelos tomorrow the have a police escort at 0930hrs from Garmisch to Oberammergau where they will watch the world famous Passion Play starting at 1430hrs. We just pray that their tour guide Carmen manages to find a Holy Mass for them all to attend!
U.S.Seelos Pilgrimages 2010-2011
During his sermon at the opening Mass of the European Pilgrimage,Father Fernandez told those present that the success of the Pilgrimage depends on everyone on it.Prayer is so important.It is wonderful to start the day with Holy Mass.He explained the importance of community prayers and also how praying alone in quiet prayer helps to build up the soul."It makes you stronger,more peaceful and happy"he told them.He also urged all to go at least once to confession during their time together."Be poor in spirit as the gospel tells us,Live simply and share with others"was his message to all.
During the Mass they also prayed for a newly ordained Priest,Father Clint Trahan who is to join them.He will be bringing a "quadraplegic pilgrim who is hoping for both spiritual and physical healing as they visit the different shrines.
During every Mass on the Pilgrimage all wear specially designed scapulars which show the different spiritual places they will visit. The pilgrimage takes place every year and they visit different places each time.
The group were then introduced to Frau Lily Neumaier-Aschenbrenner,the great grandniece of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.
Frau Neumaier-Aschenbrenner has since 1964 been promoting the cause for canonization of her relative.
She has spoken in that time in over 24 countries,spreading the word about the love of Christ,that Blessed Seelos had.
Also on the Pilgrimage and visiting the shrine of Blessed Seelos for the first time was Joyce Bourgeois.
Joyce is the Administrator of the International Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in New Orleans.
She told us she was visiting "By the grace of God".
Father Emmanuel Fernandez with his Godchild.Father Fernandez is the Spiritual Director of the Pilgrimage
The group have with them a relic of blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.We thank Susan Sternberg,a parishioner of St Mar'ys Assumption Church,New Orleans for allowing us to photograph her 1st class relic of Blessed Seelos.
After the group picture outside of St Mang Basilica,the group were invited to visit Frau Neumaier-Aschenbrenner's house.Within the house she has a room on the 3rd floor which houses the family documents pertaining to her past relative.
Joyce Bourgeois,Director International Seelos Shrine,New Orleans(R) & her daughter,Christine who also works at the New Orleans Shrine,outside the house of Frau Lily Neumaier-Aschenbrenner,one of the last surviving relatives of Blessed Seelos.Joyce told us that Christine is her "Seelos Miracle".Her daughter survived meningococcal Meningitis against all the odds that the doctors gave her thanks to the intervention of Blessed Seelos.
Inside the house of Frau Neumaier-Aschenbrenner
Frau Neumaier-Aschenbrenner gets the pilgrims to sign her guest book whilst she shows them the documents.Anyone can visit the family documents between 1600hrs-1800hrs on a Tuesday or Friday.
It is a very small room so normally a maximum of 12 people can go in there at a time.It is best to ring her or her secretary in advance on 0049 (0)8362 7886.(Both can speak English)
The rest of the day the pilgrims were able to visit the Hohes Schloss(High Castle) which used to belong to the Prince-Bishops of Augsburg.(Photo below)
They also visited many other places in the city.
The Pilgrimage runs from 7th -22nd June.After their stay in Füssen the Pilgrimage moves to Altöting where they will spend two days before moving on to Cologne,Belgium,then France.Whilst in France they will visit the Shrine of St Bernadette of Lourdes in Nevers where her incorrupt body is on view.They finally finish up in Lourdes for the 150th Anniversary celebrations.They will also visit Dachau
Concentration Camp, and the Church Approved apparition sites of Beauraing and Banneux
The organizer of the Pilgrimage,Bonnie Latidais told us that all on the Pilgrimage were looking for spiritual,physical or mental healing of some kind.A special healing service will be held as well.
We pray for them all as they travel around the Shrines.It good to know that they started here at the European Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
HOW THE LOCAL PAPER REPORTED THE STORY
FATHER EMANUEL FERNANDES
We get many visitors searching for Father "Manny" Fernandes and they end up here.As a service to these visitors here is the latest information we have on his Healing Ministry
You can also contact him by phone or mail:
REV. EMMANUEL FERNANDEZ,
ST. JOHN CHURCH
18534 LA HWY 689 (HENRY)
ERATH, LA 70533
Tel:337-937-5108
A group of 27 American Pilögrims led by Father Hampton Davis and Father Curtis Mallet arrived in Füssen on Sunday 4th October 2009.The two priests con-celebrated the 1030hrs Harvest Festival Mass in the Basilica of St Mang where Blessed Seelos was baptised 11th January 1919 the day of his birth.
They were leading a Pilgrimage for Magnificat Travel which is visiting places in Austria,Switzerlans and Germany.As the group is from Louisiana it was only right that a visit to the German Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos would be on the itinery.
After Mass they gathered with Parish Priest of Füssen,Father Frank Deuring to have a group photo taken out side the Basilica beside the SEELOS DOOR.
The local paper sent George Rehm,who works in the Parish on social projects to cover the event for them.
After the group photo one of the guides of the Basilica,Eduard Schopp gave the group a tour of Füssen which included the Shrine,The baptistry where Blessed Seelos was baptised.
A young child was about to be baptised whilst the group were there and Deacon Fredl Hofmann who was conducting the Baptism told the group that this was the very Baptismal Font where Seelos was baptised.
They then were shown the house where he lived when his father became sacristan of St Mang Basilica.Moving on around the corner they were shown the former Benedictine monastory of St Mang which was closed in 1803 due to secularisation.It is now the City Town Hall!.They were shown the outside of the Holy Spirit Hospital Church before turning left into the road where Blessed Seelos was born.After viewing the house which moved many to silent prayer,they walked up the hill to the old St Sebastian Cemetary where the Parents and family of the Blessed are buried.
Following prayer led by Father Hampton Davis for the parents and family of Blessed Seelos and for all parents and families of those gathered,the group caught their bus to the local world famous castle of Neuschwanstein.
DID EMILE SIMONEAUX RECEIVE A MIRACULOUS CURE DUE TO BLESSED SEELOS?
One of the pilgrims on the tour was Emile Simoneaux.He had been suffering an eye problem and had to undergo surgery.He took a third class Seelos relic in the operating threatre with him.Whilst undergoing the operation the whole theatre was suddenly illuminated with light.The surgeon was so amased that Emile was able to survive as the prognosis was so bad,He came to find out more about him.Emile's wife told us "It was a real miracle,they did not expect Emile to survive and he did due to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos".
HOW THE PILGRIMAGE WAS REPORTED IN THE ALLGÄUER ZEITUNG-FUSSENNER BLATT(6 Oct 2009)
American Pilgrimage to Füssen 3rd July 2010
The above pilgrimage celebrated Mass in the Spitalkirche,Füssen at 1400hrs on 3rd July 2010.The previous day had been spent visiting the Passion Play in Oberammagau.Dispite the Mass being celebrated only 100 metres from the house where Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos was born,none of them had heard of this German/American Blessed.They were delighted to take the few English leaflets we had about him.More are on the way from New Orleans in time for another Pilgrimage in September.
CORPUS CHRISTI PILGRIMS TO SEELOS SHRINE(3 June 2010)
Pilgrims pray at the Seelos family grave
A group of American pilgrims visited the sites of interest & Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in Füssen on the Feast of Corpus Christi 2010.Thanks to the suggestion of their Austrian Tour guide,Julia Woodwards,members of the St. Bernadette American Volunteers under the Spiritual Direction of Father Matt McGinness left Salzburg early and travelled to Füssen.
Austrian Tour Guide,Julia Woodwards(Center),with the pilgrims outside the house where Blessed Seelos was born. Find her website at http://www.travelcoach.info/info/index.php
The "Seelos in Füssen" website was delighted to co-operate and take the pilgrims on a tour showing them the house where Seelos was born,his parents and families grave,the school he attended and Churches where he served Mass as well as where he lived when his father,Mang became sacristan of the Parish Church of St Mang.
On the Bridge over the River Lech after taking photos of the Basilica and former monastory
The pilgrims were delighted to visit the Shrine and see the font where Blessed Seelos was baptised.They move on to visit the world famous passion play in Oberammergau.Then next week they move to France to vist the Shrine of the Cure of Ars,St John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests.
Group Photo outside St Mang Basilica with Father Matt Mc Ginness 2nd guy from the right.
They finish their pilgrimage of European shrines with 5 days in Lourdes where Our Blessed Lady appeared to St Bernadette.It was a real pleasure meeting them all and may they have a gracefilled Pilgrimage.
THE PILGRIMAGES KEEP COMING(9th October 2010)
They were very friendly and they visited on the Feast of the Archangels,Michael,Raphael and Gabriel.It was an honour to be at the Holy Mass with them and so uplifting.
They were on of the few groups that didn't know about Blessed Seelos,but a couple on the pilgrimage were delighted to know about him as the husband is suffering fromm cancer.He was blessed with the 1st class Seelos relic and delighted to have learnt about him.
15th September saw yet another group of 43 Pilgrims from the United States visiting the birthplace of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.They were given a tour of all the places that were related to Francis Xavier's life here in the city of Füssen.After the tour a short break was taken in one of the local Ice Cafes.It was just after this that some members of the pilgrimage tried to save the life of Franz,a German man who had fallen over in the street sustaining a head injury and cardiac arrest.Whilst an american nurse on the pilgrimage started resusitation via CPR an ambulance was called and others prayed for him.He was blessed with a 1st class Seelos relic as well as given the Sacrament of the Sick by one of the Pilgrimage Priests.He was still alive on enterring the ambulance.The pilgrimage Mass followed immediatly after and Franz and his wife were amongst the intentions prayed for by all.
SEELOS PILGRIMAGE MASS SEPTEMBER 10th(11th September 2010)
A group of 69 American pilgrims visited Füssen on Friday 10th September 2010.They were given a tour of all the places associated with Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in Füssen.They saw the family grave,St Stephan's Franciscan Church,The house where he was born,the Spitalkirche,River Lech and Frau-Am-Berg Kirche(Our Lady of the Mountain Shrine),the school he attended as well as the house he lived in when his father was sacristan of St Mang Basilica.
GROUP PHOTO OUTSIDE THE BASILICA
Finally they toured the Basilica itself where they saw the baptismal font where Blessed Seelos was baptised as well as viewing the small Shrine to Blessed Seelos.All the pilgrims were delighted to be able to put their prayer requests in the box located in the Shrine area and to light a candle for their intercessions.Three priests celebrated Mass in honour of Blessed Seelos at 1800hrs.
The Priest's 2nd cousin giving her testamony at the beginning of Mass
At the beginning of Mass,the 2nd cousin of the Spiritual Director of the Pilgrimage gave her personal testamony of how Blessed Seelos had interceded for her and saved her from death.After Mass another 2nd cousin of the Priest who is a religious sister gave her witness of love for Our Mother,Mary in the form of a hip hop song.Two couples also received a special Blessing from one of the priests on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary.The pilgrims left the Basilica after Mass greatly uplifted by their experience.Next stop was Munich.The previous day they had all been thrilled by the Passion Play at Oberamagau.The Austrian tour guide,Julia W who is charge of the group of 69 American pilgrims had to rearrange the schedule of her tour as the group so wanted to visit Füssen and have Holy Mass celebrated in the very Church where Blessed Seelos was Baptised,Confirmed and made his 1st Confession and 1st Holy Communion.
The Priest's 2nd cousin(L) who is alive today due to the intercession of Blessed Seelos.
Origionally the group had planned to have Holy Mass celebrated at 1130hrs Saturday 11th September.The group was also able to enjoy some of the food and drink in the local Italien Ice Cafes in the middle of their tour.Over 8 groups of Pilgims have visited from the United States this year and the next group is due on Wednesday 15th September 2010.
2011 REDEMPTORIST PILGRIMAGE TO FÜSSEN2011 REDEMPTORIST PILGRIMAGE TO FÜSSEN(12th May 2011)
The Redemptorist Pilgrims standing in front of the Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos after Holy Mass which was concelebrated by Monsignor Arthur Bastress, Redemptorist Oblate & Father Daniel Francis C.Ss.R.
Thursday 12th May at 1530 hrs saw members of the Neumann Year Pilgrimage (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic): May 10-20, 2011 celebrating Holy Mass in St Mang Basilica.The Pilgrimage led by Spiritual Director,Father Daniel Francis C.Ss.R. and Monsignor Arthur Bastress,Oblate of the Most Holy Redeemer, were on the 2nd day of their pilgrimage which is tracing Redemptorist Saints and Blessed's in Germany;Austria and The Czech Republic.
Father Daniel was professed as a Redemptorist in 1985 and ordained in 1991.He is based in the Anapolis and is in charge of the Redemptorist Office for Mission Advancement.He preaches missions and days of renewal as well as retreats for priests,and religious communities.He is a specialist on the life of Saint John Neumann who has his 200th anniversary of birth this year.Monsignor Bastress is the pastor of St Alphonsus Church in Baltimore.The only Church in the world that if Blessed Seelos is canonised that will be able to claim "2 saints as former Parish Priests" according to Monsignor Bastress.In 2009 he was enrolled as an "Oblate of the Most Holy Redeemer by Auxilary Bishop,Denis J.Maden for all the work he had done in promoting the causes of Saint John Neumann and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos as well as his work in restoring St Alphonsus.
With these two spiritual powerhouses leading the 21 pilgirims they explored Füssen and the birthplace of Francis Xavier Seelos.They visited the house where he was born,Franz Xavier Seelos Haus,which is the Parish Social centre,saw the house he lived in whilst his father was sacristan.They also saw the baptismal font where he was baptised the day of his birth.
Monsignor Bastress was spiritually moved in the Basilica and when he entered the sacristy he saw some old albs and immediately asked if he could wear one of them.
Monsignor Arthur Bastress, Redemptorist Oblate(R) & Father Daniel Francis C.Ss.R.(L)
At the beginning of Mass he pointed out that these were what priests wore in the time of Blessed Seelos. Monsignor Bastress preached the sermon and it was clear how moved he was to be in the same church "where his hero" was baptised.The pilgrimage is being blogged on the Baltimore Redemptorist website
THAT SEELOS MURAL!(3 June 2011)
We have had quiet a few pilgrimages from the United States of America in recent years visiting Füssen.However the Redemptorist Pilgrimage that came to the birthplace of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos on 12th May 2011 have discovered the Parish Social Centre!Seelos Haus is a bit off the beaten track.Most Seelos lovers visit the house where he was born,St Mang Basilica and see the house he lived in when his father was sacristan of the basilica.Then most pilgrimages do not have Dr.Robert L Worden showing them around!Dr Worden,author and archivist of St Mary's Church Annapolis had visited Füssen previously and given the then Parish Priest,Monsignor Karlheinz Knebel,on behalf of our parish,a copy of his book about St Mary's,which included a chapter on Blessed Seelos.Dr Worden tells us how he found Seelos Haus origionally."My Wife Norma and I spent 3 days in Füssen in October 2007.We actually did not meet the pastor when we presented the book, although it was passed on to him. We attended the Saturday evening Mass and met the assistant pastor, a Polish priest,(Father Kazimierz Piotrowski,former curate-ED) and Bruno, the sacristan, and one or two others (maybe the sacristan's son). They promised to pass the book on to the monsignor and in return, they gave me several booklets and postcards about Father Seelos and St. Mang's. As to the Franz Xaver Seelos Haus, we came upon it quite my happenstance. On our last morning in Füssen, we drove our automobile part way back into the old town and made a wrong turn into a little street. We found out was not leading us to where we wanted to go, so we turned the car around and drove back out and that is when we saw the beautiful mural of Blessed Seelos on the wall of a large building. This wrong turn was certainly a fortuitous mistake. We love that mural and have shown others our photos of it over the next few years. So when we returned to Füssen on May 12, after we visited the birthplace, I told our group there was another surprise to see... and my wife and I led them to the mural."
They took photos and then returned to the United States after the pilgrimage.Then the questions began!They asked Father Byron Miller and his staff in the Seelos Center in New Orleans about the mural.Father Miller was in Füssen in 2002 and had not seen it.He asked us what we know about it.It has been there at least since 2006 when we came to Füssen.But what about its history?Prelate Karlheinz Knebel told us "The mural was painted by Otto Kobel of Seeg.He is famous for his work with the "Waal Passion Play" & in 1987 he produced "The mystery of the death of St Mang" play written by Arthur Maximilian Miller here in Füssen.Otto Kobel is also responsible for many religious works of art which can be found in parishes throughout the area.The Mural in Füssen is unfortunately not completed.It shows servers with Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos because the Altar servers from St Mang Basilica meet in the building once a week to play games and get to know each other better.As he worked in the southern States a coloured person was included in the mural to join other representatives of the immigrants and locals who were in need of spiritual care. The completed mural should have shown Seelos when he lived in Füssen and also when he emigrated from Germany to the United States traveling via New York.
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