A 'local' saint - Rector's Rambling for November 5, 2017

In the coming weeks you will be hearing a lot about Fr. Solanus Casey, because on November 18, he will be declared “blessed” by the Roman Catholic Church, the a step in their process to be declared a “Saint” of the Church.

Here in the Anglican Communion, we do not have the same, long, tedious process the Roman Church has to investigate the holiness of those who have lived lives of extraordinary sanctity.  Their goal is to be sure that the person was not a fraud with a cult following, as sometimes is revealed about people after their death.

As we celebrate All Saints’ Day today, we will sing my favorite hymn, “I sing a song of the saints of God” in which we will declare that the “saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.”

Too often we think of the saints as far away and long ago, and the hymn reminds us otherwise.  Fr. Solanus Casey is yet another example of one who started out as “folk like me” and by his desire and cooperation with God did wonderful things through Him.  He did much of his ministry two miles from St. John’s, and he died only 60 years ago!

Fr. Solanus was born in Wisconsin and desired to be a diocesan parish priest.  When he wasn’t smart enough to pass his theology exams in seminary, it was suggested that he join a religious order.  That order then sent him to seminary where he failed AGAIN.

Not deterred he persisted, and the Roman Church ordained him, but with “limited facilities”, which prevented him from doing many things expected of a priest other than saying Mass.  So the Capuchin Franciscans made him the doorkeeper of the friary on Mt. Elliot in Detroit.  From there he interacted with the poor and needy, prayed with and for those who were ill or in other need, and God began using him for miraculous purposes.

Perhaps his most well-known contribution was his suggestion to his religious superiors of the need to start a soup kitchen because he predicted there would be increasing numbers of people in need.  As the new plan was being put in place, the stock market crash of 1929 proved him right.  And to this day, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen ministries continue to feed thousands of people a week, as well as minister to the poor through counseling and other programs.  Fr. Solanus was just “folk like me” who wanted to be holy and cooperated with God to do it!