Could these walls speak, what tales would Assumption of Mary Catholic Church tell? This National Historic Landmark stands at Constance and Josephine Streets. It anchors the Lower Garden District in New Orleans.
Assumption of Mary Catholic Church owes its existence to German Catholic immigrants. The church arose in 1860. Saint Alphonsus Church appeared simultaneously across the street. It served the swelling Irish Catholic immigrant population. Both churches boast beauty and ornate designs.
Assumption of Mary Catholic Church is a rare and elaborate example of German Baroque Revival architecture. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Inside Assumption of Mary Catholic Church, you will find a shrine and museum. These honor Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. He ministered to German-speaking immigrants. Seelos died in 1867. He succumbed to yellow fever after caring for its victims. The Roman Catholic Church beatified him in 2000. This recognized his virtuous life.
Storms have tested Assumption of Mary Catholic Church. Hurricane Betsy heavily damaged it in 1965. The church temporarily closed. Demolition seemed possible. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 brought heavy rain and wind damage. Water infiltrated the interior. It damaged plaster and the ceiling.
Best-selling novelist Anne Rice held her marriage convalidation here. It was with her husband Stan. Rice also featured Assumption of Mary Catholic Church in her novels. Two main characters married here in The Witching Hour. Blackwood Farm uses the church as the setting for a funeral. After Hurricane Katrina, Rice used her website to encourage donations. These were to help repair the damage to Assumption of Mary Catholic Church.
Music fills the air here. Assumption of Mary Catholic Church has two pipe organs. Simmons & Willcox of Boston constructed the grand organ in 1861. William Schuelke rebuilt it around 1900. He used new tubular pneumatic chests. The choir organ came from Pels & VanLeeuwen of Alkmaar, The Netherlands in 2015.
Many believe that Blessed Francis X. Seelos performed a miracle. They say he cured Mary Ellen Heibel of cancer. This happened after doctors gave her no hope for recovery. Pope John Paul II proclaimed Father Seelos Blessed in St. Peter’s Square on April 9, 2000.
Assumption of Mary Catholic Church is more than just a building. It is a place where history and spirituality meet. It provides a serene environment for reflection and worship. The stained-glass windows and ceiling frescoes add to the ambiance. This true gem in the Garden District is a place of beauty.