Fishers of faith on Lameuse Street in Biloxi

Currently staffed by the Redemptorists of the Denver Province, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Catholic Church in Biloxi began Dec. 18, 1921, as St. John's Church.

With a growing population of fishermen and factory workers in Biloxi, in the early 1900s, the diocese saw a need to serve the community by starting a church in the area.

The original wooden structure was replaced in 1959 by a brick sanctuary.

In 2005, St. John Parish was merged with St. Louis Parish to form Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Parish and was placed under the care of the Redemptorists, congregation of the Catholic Church with the missoin to follow the example of Christ, preaching the Gospel to the poor and most abandoned of society.

Today, the Rev. Steven Benden is the Redemptorist priest for Seelos church. The name of the church is in honor of Redemptorist priest Francis Seelos, who was born in Bavaria. Seelos served in New Orleans during the yellow fever outbreak in the mid 1800s.

His heart was for the poorest and most abandoned of all people. He died in October 1867 when he succumbed to the disease he fought to eradicate.

Seelos was proclaimed "Blessed" by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square April 9, 2000.

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Catholic Church in Biloxi will host a raffle on Friday, March 18, during the church's last dinner of this Lenten season. First Prize will be 10 $100 gift cards to local restaurants, including Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Mary Mahoney's, McElroy's and Half Shell Oyster House.

The second prize is a 40-inch flat-screen TV and third prize is 50 pounds of fresh Gulf shrimp.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Fishers of faith on Lameuse Street in Biloxi."