Br. Daniel Korn, Redemptorists for 59 Years, Has Passed Away

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Br. Daniel (Dan) Korn, C.Ss.R., who died at the age of 79 on February 28, 2026 while recovering from a surgical procedure in St. Louis, MO.

A beloved mentor and spiritual director to generations of Redemptorists, Br. Dan will be remembered for sharing his deep devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help worldwide, fulfilling the Redemptorist mandate to “make her known” through presentations, retreats, books and videos based upon the Eastern traditions of Marian iconography and prayer.

Glen and Alyce (Thieme) Korn welcomed their only child, Daniel Glen, on January 11, 1947 in Fort Wayne, IN. Although he was born into a staunch Lutheran family, Dan often accompanied his mother to the weekly Sorrowful Mother Novena at St. Hyacinth Church, the neighborhood Polish parish. His mother became friendly with the School Sisters of Notre Dame and enrolled Dan at the parish school. The family converted to the Catholic faith and Dan was baptized at the age of 10. He always gave credit to the Mother of God for bringing his family into the Catholic Church and then leading him to religious life as a Redemptorist Brother.

After he graduated from school he enrolled at Villa Majella, the Religious Brothers School in Pine City, MN. He made his first profession of vows on August 2, 1966. He was considered a prayerful, conscientious student with considerable musical talent, and was regarded as a good community man. He served at various Redemptorist houses – St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, WI, Blessed John Neumann House in Clinton, IA, the Eucharistic Heart Provincial Residence in Chicago, IL – before professing perpetual vows on August 2, 1970. He completed Second Novitiate at Immaculate Conception College/Health Care Center in Oconomowoc, WI, where he served as a tailor and a cook and helped provide nursing care to elderly and infirm Redemptorists.

A cheerful presence in community, Br. Dan served on the staff of St. Joseph’s Preparatory College for a year and was appointed Head Infirmarian, responsible for the care of sick and injured students. A year later he was appointed to retreat ministry at Villa Redeemer in Glenview, IL. Br. Dan was so highly regarded that he was selected to serve on the Province Secretariat for Brothers and participate in the worldwide General Chapter in Rome.

Br. Dan joined the staff at Mary, Mother of the Church in Mattese, MO in 1973. He began to complete advanced courses and specialty programs in Spirituality, Liturgy and Music. He was assigned at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Church in St. Louis in 1980, where he was appointed liturgist and director of the music ministry. When a tragic accident resulted in the death of a confrere serving in formation at nearby St. John Neumann House, Br. Dan filled the unexpected vacancy. His natural gifts as a counselor and spiritual director were evident. He joined the formation staff full-time in 1985 and served for seven years. During this time, he also served on the Extraordinary Provincial Council of the Province.

Br. Dan was appointed to the Redemptorist Novitiate in Ferguson, MO in 1992. During this year of discernment for students, he and a confrere opened Domus Dei – a house of prayer available to anyone who needed a place for quiet prayer and contemplation. The confreres took on a variety of jobs, including working at Liguori Publications, to fund the house of prayer but it was not sustainable. Five years later, Br. Dan was appointed Director of Mission Effectiveness at Liguori Publications in Liguori, MO and was named Director of the Redemptorist Lay Missionary program. He was appointed to the Congregation’s Secretariat on Collaboration with the Laity in 1998.

Br. Dan served in retreat ministry at Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Oconomowoc from 2001 until 2007, when he returned to formation as Administrator of the Villa Redeemer North American Novitiate in Glenview, IL. Four years later, Br. Dan returned to Liguori Publications as Coordinator of Word & Mission and Contributing Editor. He authored many articles and pamphlets on Redemptorist spirituality and the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, notably Embracing the Icon of Love, which was published in 2015.

Br. Dan became an internationally celebrated iconologist through his deep devotion to the Mother of God after years of private reading, prayer and contemplation. He led spiritual novenas and presented seminars, missions and retreats focused on the iconography contained in the image of Our Mother of Perpetual Help throughout the world. He shared his knowledge on radio and television programs and served as the spiritual director of the Denver Province’s popular website devoted to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, www.maryprayforus.org, and the Facebook page devoted to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. He was so well known for his ministry that complete strangers recognized him as he traveled around the world.

Br. Dan provided commentary for the EWTN broadcast of the Mass celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Redemptorists receiving the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the mandate to “make her known” in 2016 at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Church. He began to write icons and continued to spread devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help for the remainder of his life. His devotion lives on through the countless people his ministry introduced to the spirituality of the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:

St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community Chapel
300 Liguori Drive
Barnhart, MO 63012

Tuesday, March 10, 2026
3:00 PM: Rosary
7:00 PM: Vigil

Wednesday, March 11, 2026
10:00 AM: Mass of Resurrection
Burial to follow at Liguori Cemetery

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.