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Blessed Fr. Solanus Casey
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Bernard Francis Casey was born November 25, 1870, to Irish immigrant parents in Oak Grove, Wisconsin. When he was 8 years old, he contracted diphtheria which left him with a permanently damaged voice — only able to speak softly and quietly. The disease killed two of his siblings later that year. As a youth, he moved frequently and was unable to finish his schooling. Instead, he took on all sorts of odd jobs, even as a prison guard, before he decided to pursue the priesthood at age 21.
Due to his limited education, he entered the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He found that the classes there, taught in either Latin or German, were too difficult as he had no knowledge of either language. The school advised him to, instead, join a religious order and complete his education there. He took this advice to heart and, while in prayer before a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he heard what he described to be Mary’s voice telling him to “go to Detroit.” Following this experience, he applied to Detroit’s Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and entered as a novice in 1887. He was given the religious name “Solanus,” after Saint Francis Solanus, because both the saint and Casey loved to play the violin. Although he still struggled with his studies, he received his ordination to the priesthood on July 24, 1904.
Since he always fell behind when it came to his theological education, his ordination was to that of a “simplex” priest. This meant that, although he could celebrate Mass, he was not permitted to hear confessions or to preach doctrinal sermons due to the limitations of his education. His first assignment was to the Sacred Heart Friary in Yonkers, New York, following which he spent time serving at churches near Pen Station and Harlem.
During his 14 years in New York, he worked mostly as a receptionist, doorkeeper, and sacristan. He quickly became known for his pastoral approach and listening ear and people began seeking him out for blessings and prayer for their ailments. In 1924 he transferred to Detroit where he took up the same type of work at St. Bonaventure Monastery. His reputation as a holy man grew quickly and people would come far and wide to visit “The Doorkeeper”, as he was commonly known, for prayer and counseling. On an average day, Fr. Casey could have up to 200 visitors seeking time with him!
During his time at St. Bonaventure's, Casey helped found the Capuchin Soup Kitchen to feed those in need in Detroit during the Great Depression. He also continued his violin practice and could often be found playing for friends at parties and in the chapel. He loved sports and frequently joined in on the volleyball and tennis games of the younger religious men. He made this a habit until his late seventies.
Fr. Casey spent the last decade of his life with the Capuchin novitiate in Huntington, Indiana. When his health began to fail, he was transferred back to Detroit to be hospitalized. He passed away in Detroit in 1957. At his funeral, 20,000 people visited to pay him their respects before he was buried at St. Bonaventure.
Following a miracle confirmed by the Vatican in 2017, Pope Francis beatified Fr. Casey, raising his title to “Blessed.” His beatification in Rome was attended by 60,000 of the faithful from Michigan, New York, and around the world.
