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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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