Detroit priest could be canonized

Father Solanus Casey, the Capuchin friar who co-founded the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit and was beatified in 2017, is known to many as an inspiration and is a miracle away from being declared a Catholic saint.

If canonized, Casey would join a rare group of American saints. While there are more than 10,000 saints in the Roman Catholic Church, fewer than a dozen are from the United States.

Casey has been lauded as “one of the premier citizens of our city” by Detroit Catholic Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who added that Pope Francis “sees great holiness in Father’s life.”

Bernard Francis Casey was born in Oak Grove, Wisc., on Nov. 25, 1870. He was one of 16 siblings — 10 boys and six girls — whose parents were Irish Catholic immigrants looking to escape famine.

At 21, he entered St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee. He was unsure whether to become a Jesuit, Franciscan or Capuchin.

But, Casey said, the Blessed Mother told him: “Go to Detroit,” where the Capuchins are based.

Casey was named after St. Francis Solanus, who lived in the 17th century and who, like Casey, loved to play the violin.

Casey was not a stellar student and as a result, not allowed to preach sermons. But he drew crowds asking for his blessings.

In Detroit, he helped start the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, which still exists. Unemployed workers came to the center begging for food and Casey would give them large sandwiches and cups of coffee.

He died in 1957 at St. John Hospital in Detroit.