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Appleton to honor Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Fr. Solanus Casey's death, St. Joseph Parish, Appleton, will unveil a statue of the Capuchin priest after its 4:30 PM Mass July 28.

Fr. Casey, who was declared Venerable in 1995, said his first Mass at St. Joseph on July 31, 1904. He died on July 31, 1957 in Detroit.

Bernard Francis Casey was born on Nov. 25, 1870 on a farm near Oak Grove, Wis. He worked throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota as a logger, hospital orderly, street car operator and prison guard.

At age 21, he entered St. Francis High School Seminary in Milwaukee. Invested in the Capuchin order at Detroit in 1897, he received the religious name of Solanus.

After his ordination in 1904, Fr. Solanus spent 20 years in New York, Harlem and Yonkers. In 1924, he was assigned to St. Bonaventure Monastery, Detroit, where he worked for 20 years as porter (doorkeeper), endearing himself to thousands who would seek his counsel.

The bronze, 6½-foot tall statue was created by Russian artist Sergai Metrofaniv and donated by Richad Glavin, in memory of his wife, Cathy. It features Fr. Solanus holding a loaf of bread with a cross on it. The symbols represent Fr. Solanus feeding the hungry, since he served as a porter.

"The statue also represents Fr. Solanus feeding the spiritually hungry," said Fr. Larry Abler, OFM Cap., pastor. "St. Joseph parish was the site of Fr. Solanus' First Mass. We are using this milestone of the 50th anniversary of his death to share Fr. Solanus with all of Appleton. Many do not realize that we have a Wisconsin-born saint in the making."

A prayer garden will also be unveiled. It will be planted with biblical plants such as grapevines, mustard, wheat, herbs, and various vines.

Today, efforts continue for the beatification of Fr. Solanus.

This year, the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first permanent Capuchin foundation in the Americas.

The Capuchin Province of St. Joseph is headquartered in Detroit.