Published in the Westchester Guardian, November 2014
His last words exemplified his life: “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.” Imagine, even for a priest, to vow an eternity of service. Giving over your free will, forever, forsaking any sort of reward for a lifetime service and continue to serve until the end of time. With his last breath, he offered himself up to God.
This November 25th marked the 144th year since of the birth of this individual, a wonderworker, with thousands of documented cures, whose misdirection and illness ultimately led to God’s chosen path which includes serving in Yonkers and New York City for twenty years.
Bernard Casey, the sixth of 16 children of a Wisconsin farm family, was inflicted with an illness (diphtheria) at the age of eight that permanently damaging his vocal cords, leaving him with a wispy voice, both, hindering his future religious vocation and at the same time, via hindsight, giving direction. The damaged vocal chords were incorrectly considered by his superiors as a sign of a learning disability.
His early life showed nothing of the spectacular that would mark him as a wonder worker. His independent life began at 17 as he left home to help support the farm. This phase included falling in love (denied due to the her mother’s objection), various jobs such as a hospital orderly, lumberjack, a guard in a Minnesota state prison, (where he helped convert one of the Younger Brothers from the Jesse James gang!) and a Trolley car operator in Superior, Wisconsin from where he witnessed a brutal murder challenging Bernard to rethink his life’s path and God’s calling. Is there such a thing as a coincidence? God doesn’t waste anyone’s life. Everyone has a purpose, a meaning, but our human condition doesn’t allow us the privilege of immediately seeing God’s way.
This reemerged calling for the priesthood, set him upon a difficult path, but a blessing for many. At the age of twenty-one, because of his limited education he entered St. Francis High School Seminary in Milwaukee. The discipline was enjoyable, but the studies were in German and Latin which he did not know. As a result he did poorly and was eventually dismissed from the seminary.
After some discernment and a Novena, he felt called by God to join Detroit’s Capuchin Order on Christmas Eve, 1896. On January 14, 1897 he took the name of Solanus, after St. Francis Solano, the Spanish missionary to Peru.
July 21, 1898, he took Simple Profession of Vows, St. Bonaventure Chapel, Detroit MI. and continued his studies at St. Francis Monastery, Milwaukee WI. Again, he experienced difficulties. His grades continued to be just “average” or “passing” causing questions from his superiors. After writing a letter to them, resigning himself to God’s will and displaying great faith, Solanus was accepted and took final vows on July 21, 1901, with his class. On December 8, 1903, Brother Solanus was ordained a Sub-deacon at St. Francis DeSales Seminary Chapel, Milwaukee WI.
In March 1904, Solanus was ordained a Deacon, at St. Francis Church, Milwaukee WI. He was found worthy of ordination to the holy Priesthood on July 24, 1904, taking the holy vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. There he was ordained a simplex priest, because of his incorrectly perceived disability, who could preside at Mass but would not have the authority for the public preaching of doctrinal sermons or hearing confessions. Never showing resentment or disappointed, the seeds of humility were planted at the age of 33. On July 31, 1904, Fr. Solanus Casey celebrated his first Solemn Mass at St. Joseph Parish in Appleton WI.
After his ordination, FR. Casey served for 20 years in a succession of assignments in Capuchin friaries in New York. August 4, 1904 he began his first assignment, lasting fourteen years, at Sacred Heart Parish in Yonkers, NY. Fr. Solanus first served as sacristan, then director of the altar servers, then porter or “doorkeeper,” answering the bell at the monastery door – a job usually reserved for Brothers. His limitations became guidepost on life’s path – not road blocks.
These were minor jobs, but Fr. Solanus took great pride in it. He soon edified the parishioners by his prayerful example at Mass, by his great charity toward the sick, children, non-Catholics and the poor. His intense devotion to the Eucharist was fostered in many hours of meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. It was at the monastery door, though, where Fr. Solanus became a much-loved and personally sought for counselor. Sick people sought his blessing and something remarkable began to take place – cures, physical and spiritual which he quietly documented later on. Witnesses testified that Father had two gifts, the gift of healing and the gift of prophecy. The font, where he personally baptized over 300 people is located in a dedicated shrine at Sacred Heart.
July 1918, he transferred to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, New York City. On Oct. 25, 1921, he was transferred to our Lady of Angels, Harlem NY until August 1, 1924 when he returned to Detroit. During his years at Our Lady of Angels in Harlem NY, Solanus gave rise to the work of the Seraphic Mass Association (today called the Capuchin Mass Association) founded in Switzerland as a means to support Capuchin foreign missionaries. Those who enrolled their name with a small donation would be remembered in the prayers and Masses of the Capuchin Friars around the world. It wasn’t long before the community noticed that, when Fr. Solanus enrolled a person, more amazing results and even complete cures began to happen regularly.
“Man’s greatness lies in being faithful to the present moment.”
Fr. Solanus wrote in a large ledger: November 8, 1923, “Fr. Provincial wishes notes to be made of special favors reported as through the Seraphic Mass Association.” He would eventually fill seven notebooks with over 6,000 entries until 1956. These favors he never attributed to himself, but always to the mercy and love of God for all His people. Entry dated March 28, 1924, “Patrick McCue enrolled for one year Feb. 9, by fellow motorman—reported today entirely cured of both gangrene and diabetes, and working every day. Doctors baffled!”
His apostolate to the sick and to the poor continued wherever he was sent. Soon after being appointed in 1924 to the Capuchin Friary of St. Bonaventure in Detroit Father Solanus continued as porter and sacristan for 20 years. Every Wednesday afternoon he conducted well-attended services for the sick. A co-worker estimates that on the average day 150 to 200 people came to see him. Most of them came to receive his blessing; 40 to 50 came for consultation. Many people considered him instrumental in cures and other blessings received. Prayers were not always answered as expected. For a sick girl, he had to tell the parents that sometimes God needs little angels.
During the years of 1941-1945, Fr. Solanus’ service continued unabated, even through earned semi-retirement when he was sent him to the Friary of St. Felix in Huntington, Indiana on April 25, 1946 to recover from eczema that spread over his entire body. There he spent his time in prayer and again, ministered to the sick and troubled until his own infirmities brought him back to Detroit for special medical care in the spring of 1956.
Casey died of erysipelas on July 31, 1957, at St. John Hospital in Detroit. A commemorative plaque was placed outside the door of the hospital room in which he died. An estimated 20,000 people passed by his coffin prior to his burial in the cemetery at St. Bonaventure Monastery.
“I looked on my whole life as giving, and I want to give until there is nothing left of me to give. So I prayed that, when I come to die, I might be perfectly conscious, so that with a deliberate act I can give my last breath to God.” At 11:00 the next morning, on the 53rd anniversary of his first Mass, suddenly Fr. Solanus opened his eyes wide, stretched out his arms and said clearly, “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.” He willingly gave his last breath to God. At his death, he left one trunk of tattered clothing and few personal items, including a beat-up violin that he used to play occasionally.
Because of Fr. Solanus’ holiness, humility, a religious for 60 years and a priest for 53, not the wonder miracles, Pope John Paul II declared him the first American-born Venerable in 1995.
The late Father Benedict Groeschel, a former Capuchin, states that after Father Solanus Casey’s death, a letter from Rome was discovered, apparently unopened, which granted him full priestly faculties to preach in public and hear confessions. Groeschel takes the position that Casey’s healing apostolate would have suffered if this had been known.
“We must be faithful to the present moment or we will frustrate the plan of God.”
#1480
Glenn Slaby Blog