FATHER SEELOS, DR. BELLINA, AND MARCEL FLISIUK
By Marcel Flisiuk
In January of 2005 I discovered the Father Seelos shrine in uptown New Orleans. I heard from a friend about how powerful the Holy Spirit is in the shrine. On my first visit to the shrine I did not go inside but sat outside in the garden of St. Mary’s Assumption Church and immediately felt a holy presence. I vowed to go there every day after my first visit, that’s how powerful father Seelos holy energy is. I continued to go there every day and got to know everyone connected to the church and shrine. On my second visit to the shrine I went inside for the first time where the holy energy was even stronger, I felt like I was floating in the air. On that second visit to the shrine I met Dr. Joseph Bellina for the first time. He was sitting in the shrine holding father's Seelos relic cross. I did not know who he was but I remember something struck me about him. I continued to go to the shrine everyday and saw Dr. Bellina there almost every time I was there. I think that Father Seelos holy energy was helping Dr. Bellina fight the cancer that he was battling, as well as, giving him energy for life. Dr. Bellina and I made a connection with each other by feeling and needing Father Seelos in our life. I was not a close friend of Dr. Bellina, but I felt a connection to him, because I only saw him at the shrine and we spoke from time to time in this holy place. He was a well known doctor but when I spoke and dealt with him he was humble and sincere. I remember meditating inside the church one day and Dr. Bellina sat behind me and gave me a rosary and a coin with it that said "This too shall pass". Another time Dr Bellina invited me to have dinner with him and his wife Deborah with the pastor of St. Mary’s. We had dinner in an Italian restaurant across Lake Pontchartrain. I remember that it was pleasant. I continued to see Dr. Bellina at the shrine and at Sunday service until the summer of 2005.He ceased to come to the shrine at some point that summer I think that the cancer that he was battling was taking its toll on him. Later that summer I went to visit my parents in Maine for a while. During my visit to my family in Maine the storm hit New Orleans so I did not return until late October. While in Maine I called the shrine to see how things were there after the storm and that’s when I found out from Miss Bourgeois that Dr. Bellina lost his battle to cancer, days before the storm. It really saddened me and I will never forget my interactions with him. I was invited to his funeral evening mass at St. Mary’s church that took place in November. At the mass for Dr. Bellina, there was a wide range of his friends and all the people who worked at the church as well as his wife Deborah and sister. There were some recognizable faces like Chris Owens that attended too. Despite all the people who attended it was a quiet and solemn service. At some point Dr. Bellina's wife Deborah gave me his rosary which I was honored to have received from her. Deborah asked me to do a painting of Dr. Bellina which I agreed to. I did a painting of him with Father Seelos standing next to him. When I showed this painting to Deborah I could see that she did not like it. So I refused payment from her and explained why and kept the painting. As time went on, I made an addition to the painting. I painted the demons of cancer around Dr. Bellina to show how terrible this illness is. Dr. Bellina was a good man that is missed by many. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans, visit the Father Seelos shrine; it’s a very holy and powerful place. I continued to go to the shrine every day until I left New Orleans in the spring of 2007.The only thing I miss about New Orleans is the shrine of Father Seelos. The shrine is an oasis in a very tough city. If you go there you will feel Father Seelos' presence and he will help you in what you will ask for. I would like to express my gratitude towards everyone at the father Seelos shrine especially Joyce Bourgeois and father Byron Miller for helping me when I was in New Orleans last November when my dear father had died tragic, horrific death, in the flames of the Truth in front of L.S.U. Hospital, the doctors and nurses deprived him of, and its security assisted his suicide, by watching him, following, and not arresting, and finally stopping him, while he was preparing and caring on his act of sacrifice.
In the memory of my father, Michal Flisiuk 1954-2009
Marcel Flisiuk
National Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
919 Josephine St.
New Orleans, La
504-525-2495
