Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Healing Mass Celebrated in New Orleans
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February 29, 2024Members of the Denver Province EPC met in New Orleans for their first official meeting of 2024, enabling them all to participate in the Seelos Healing Mass on January 14.
The Healing Mass is traditionally scheduled near Seelos’ actual birthday – January 11, 1819 – at St. Mary’s Assumption Church. It seems fitting that a strong Redemptorist presence gather to celebrate the 205th birthday of their beloved confrere, who so faithfully served the people of New Orleans during the Yellow Fever epidemic.
Provincial Superior Kevin Zubel presided at the Healing Mass with his confreres as concelebrants. Fr. Maurice Nutt, interim director of the Shrine of Blessed Francis X. Seelos, shared an inspiring homily. He told the story of Maurice and Betty Fortin, who could not have children so they prayed for a baby to come through adoption. A week after praying at Father Seelos’ tomb, they were able to adopt a baby boy whom they named Seelos. Then Fr. Maurice called up and introduced that beloved child, to a resounding round of applause.