Longtime Atlanta priest dies from complications with the flu
WSB-TV • • health
Key Points:
- The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is mourning the death of its longtime pastor, the Very Rev. John T. Howren, V.F., who died at age 61 due to complications from the flu and pneumonia while vacationing in Mexico City.
- Father John, ordained in 1996, served nearly 30 years in the Catholic Church and had been pastor at the Basilica since 2020, remembered for his compassionate leadership and encouragement of parishioner participation during Mass.
- His passing occurs amid ongoing flu activity in Georgia, where hospitals report declining but still significant flu-related admissions, with many patients suffering pneumonia and prolonged symptoms.
- Medical experts emphasize the importance of seeking emergency care for severe flu symptoms, especially for vulnerable
