March 10, 2026 // Local

Redemptorist Brother Daniel Korn, a Fort Wayne Native, Dies at Age 79

Todays Catholic

The Redemptorist Order is seeking prayers for the repose of the soul of Brother Daniel Korn, C.Ss.R., who died at the age of 79 on February 28 while recovering from a surgical procedure in St. Louis. A beloved mentor and spiritual director to generations of Redemptorists, Brother 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. 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, Minnesota. He made his first profession of vows on August 2, 1966, and perpetual vows on August 2, 1970.

Along with various assignments at parishes and retreat houses throughout the Midwest, Brother Dan served at Liguori Publications, including as coordinator of word and mission as well as a 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.

Brother 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, maryprayforus.org, and the Facebook page devoted to Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

Brother 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.